China’s national ambition to build a blue water navy inevitably led to the need for naval air power. For years there have been rumors of a Chinese aircraft carrier. Several purchases involving foreign ships only resulted in the creation of military theme parks (or scrapped altogether). When it was discovered that a building made out to look like the Soviet aircraft carrier Varyarg was found in Wuhan, it fueled speculation that it could be a training platform for the future carrier force. But given China’s track record it could just be another “white elephant” used to attract attention.
From Tiexue:
Starting from a few days ago, many sites nationwide posted a set of pictures entitled “Mystery appears in Wuhan, has flight deck”. Yesterday, reporters went to investigate. At Wuhan’s Ship Research Center, from far away, a building with nearly the same proportions as a real aircraft carrier is being furnished. The carrier-style building has a bridge and flight deck similar to that of the Varyarg. On the top of the building rests two covered aircraft, it is not clear if those are models or actual planes. The aircraft carrier building is clearly meant to be used as an office building, the first two floors are concrete structure offices, and parts of it are already in use.
Comments from Tiexue:
迷离2046:
This better not be some theme park.
blue-bao:
From the looks of it, it is an aircraft carrier style building, look at the deck, if it is really used for aircraft training, you would never use limestone tiles on the roof.
李子浪:
It can’t be a training center, if it is then the whole world would know~~
圣殿骑士团团长:
It can’t be a training center for carrier borne planes~
Aircraft carriers are not so simple, it is not just any ship with a deck that can be a carrier.
圣殿骑士团团长:
First of all, the structural strength of this thing is not enough, the force of an airplane weighing several tons would collapse the building while landing.
In addition, does anyone see arrest wires? Arresting wires are a system with internal buffer mechanism, its not something a couple of ropes can replace.
Furthermore, it is impossible for the Varyarg to be recommissioned, a ship with a heavily damaged propulsion system, where the effort of repairing it would rival building a new one altogether! Do you honestly think Russians are that kind?
zengfeiteng:
Concrete Aircraft Carrier
阿杨1980:
Aye! Faint. I thought this was the country’s secret aircraft carrier training facility, but it is just an aircraft carrier shaped building or theme park, Some people can really dream up things.
Comments from QQ:
秋水天长:
Stone warship, it can’t be moved. We had this since the Qing Dynasty; in the Summer Palace…This is China…
天杀魔:
The forever unsinkable amphibious aircraft carrier have arisen!
Victor:
China is not building aircraft carriers, but loneliness!
醉心酒:
Isn’t this just a tourism facility, no need to be surprised! Just a tourism project, no need to make a fuss about it.
存储:
You don’t know but there could be strategic values, trick America’s spy satellites. Ha-ha, pretending to be real!
挪威卒:
It is a training platform, looks like the real aircraft carrier is in construction…
蓝翡翠:
What is the point of building this? Why not build a real one if you have the materials to do so.
南山一松:
Divulging military secrets, idiot.
See also: “Wuhan builds cement aircraft carrier” (Shanghaiist)
Related Posts:
- Two mummies suddenly appear in Wuhan, China and begin dancing. After drawing a crowd, they hand out leaflets with only the word "resume" on it. Why do this? » 17 comments
- Chinese netizens quickly make silly Photoshops of the recent "Lotus Riverside" apartment building that collapsed/toppled over nearly intact in Shanghai, China. » 44 comments
- Government officials have spent 2 million RMB constructing a luxury "humanized" public restroom in Wuhan. Chinese netizens ask if China is still a poor country. » 42 comments
- Angry Chinese chase away a Chinese mother & daughter who wore Japanese kimonos to go admire & take pictures with the cherry blossoms at Wuhan University. » 111 comments
- News of Somali pirates seizing the Chinese cargo ship "De Xin Hai" & its crew are making headlines across China's media. Angry Chinese netizens demand a rescue. » 77 comments
Mummies Dancing In Wuhan For Employment 
Shanghai Building Collapse & Chinese Netizen Photoshops 
Wuhan Builds 2 Million RMB Luxury Public Toilet 
Cherry Blossoms, Wuhan, & Chinese Women In Kimonos 
Chinese Cargo Ship & Crew Held Hostage By Somali Pirates 
s.s. sofaaaaaaaaaa
I’ve read something interesting at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Melbourne_(R21)
So is their M.O. to copy the flight deck of dodgy old aircraft carriers?
Shame on the Chinese for taking apart and studying the ship after they have purchased it, in stark contrast to all other nations who always reinvent the wheel.
that’s what I call wasting tax dollars! Why reinvent the wheel, when you already got the wheel?
I’m guessing sometimes it’s better to understand how and why something works as opposed to simply having something that works. What was the old saying? Give a man a fish and feed him for a day? Teach him to fish and feed him for the rest of his life? Something like that…
[comment hidden for too many negative votes -- click to view]
Indian Navy Rocks!!!
India’s Navy is a joke.
To be honest, Indian navy isnt that tough. In paper, the Chinese navy is still much better (Dont know what happen in real war though). Anyways, the best navy is still the Americans, although UK, French and even Japan are pretty good. Chinese are growing but it will take them sometimes especially with all the corruption within the country, same goes for india.
“You don’t know but there could be strategic values, trick America’s spy satellites. Ha-ha, pretending to be real!”
“Oh, my God captain! There’s something in Central China. It appears that not only do the Chinese now have an aircraft carrier, but it’s able to travel on sea and land. We’re fucked.”
“Well, private, we had a good run.”
OK, I lol’d a bit at this one. Good expansion.
Training facility, obviously.
China’s military is a generation behind the West’s.
http://wikileaks.org/wiki/UK:_Chinese_espionage_a_%22voracious%22_problem_involving_%22a_mass_of_ordinary_students_and_businessmen%22
first of all, wikileaks? come on, my neighbor’s 4 year old is a more credible source.
who needs spies when you have the internet, any real or useful information on any subject can be found in scientific journals and their online archives. which are open any one who can pay to open an account.
I’d rather not know what you get up to with your neighbor’s 4 year old.
And as for China not having any spies cos there’s google… lulz..
”China is not building aircraft carriers, but loneliness!“
I have seen this reference “X的是寂寞” several times in the last few days, what is it referring to?
It’s been explained on this very website:
http://www.chinasmack.com/stories/loneliness-chinese-internet-meme/
Dunno what happened to the competition though.
LoL, you too? To be fair, though, did any of the submissions make you LoL? :|
China is not building aircraft carriers, but loneliness!
Is this connect with the fact that in Sichuan restaurants serves sea food and fish?
This article is not about Chinese aircraft carrier, but loneliness.
Hm… P.R. Chinese/American tax dollars at work! Looks like the powers to be in Beijing are emulating the politics of Washington D.C. and throwing the local governments a bone. In this case… a possible PLAN recruitment center/military museum?
what a waste of concrete -_-
its so expensive and needed everywhere in the world.
Chalk up another “win” for the retard in the government who keeps signing off on these wastes of money. I’m surprised the netizens aren’t more enraged that they’re wasting money instead of making real carriers or training facilities.
There are quite a few “high officials” in the navy who want a battleship. =] Complete waste of money, at least this fake carrier can serve as a model for a real one. in modern warfare, no carrier means you have to go defensive in naval battle.
True, true, its just that it seems that these officials are being overridden by some bourgeoise bureaucrat thats annoying.
They are not launching aircraft, but loneliness.
Looks like one of the aircraft carrier theme park in Shenzhen. They could make money :P
“First of all, the structural strength of this thing is not enough, the force of an airplane weighing several tons would collapse the building while landing.”
Wow, they know so much about aircraft carriers that they think that airplanes land on top of the conning tower. Amazing.
The ship Varyag which this is based on is based in Dalian, you can read more about it here: http://daliandalian.com/blog/varyag-dalians-aircraft-carrier
It must be some idiot government official who uses tax money to build himself a nice office. So childish.
中國人民解放軍還 People’s Liberation Army Navy
nuff’ said
Let me put it this way, even if the Chi Mates had an aircraft carrier, they would lose because they are too stupid and we just need to attack during xiu xi time.
China is a Mac Hardware with a 486 processor….
Looks good on the outside, but outdated and useless on the inside
battleship yamato a al Star Blazers … fuck yeah!