Liaoning aircraft carrier formation criticized for poor combat capabilities
American experts say that moving in long formations makes Chinese aircraft carrier fleets vulnerable to anti-ship missiles.
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Liaoning aircraft carrier (circled in red) in the Chinese warship formation. Photo:Planet Labs. |
Director of the US Nuclear Information Project Hans Kristensen said on March 27 that China's Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group moving in the East Sea in a formation that is very difficult to defend, and can easily be wiped out by just one airstrike if a conflict breaks out, according toBusiness Insider.
Satellite images taken by Planet Labs a day earlier showed about 40 Chinese destroyers, frigates, submarines and aircraft with the Liaoning aircraft carrier at the center.moving in a double column formation off Hainan Island, apparently to participate in exercises in the South China Sea.
"It looks impressive, but this formation would be an easy target for four B-1 Lancer bombers equipped with 96 long-range anti-ship cruise missiles," Kristensen said.
According to American experts, such a formation of the Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group does not have real combat capabilities but only shows the Chinese navy's ability to deploy forces.
The US aircraft carrier strike group formation is usually deployed with the aircraft cruiser in the center, submarines in the front, destroyers and frigates performing air defense and anti-submarine missions are arranged on both sides, and logistics ships are placed behind. This formation is believed to be able to protect US aircraft carriers from many threats in the air and at sea at long distances.
"China has made great efforts to improve its naval capabilities in recent years, but a force with almost no combat experience will take a long time to catch up with the US Navy and other world powers," said Collin Koh, an expert at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.Evaluate.
The Chinese Navy announced last weekend that the Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group will participate in exercises in the East Sea for the first time, but did not disclose the specific time and location.
This statement was made in the context of the US Navy destroyer USS Mustin on March 23 conducting a freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) within 12 nautical miles around Vanh Khan Reef, part of Vietnam's Truong Sa archipelago, which China has illegally reclaimed and transformed into an artificial island. Beijing brazenly declared Washington's actions as "serious military and political provocations", affirming that it will strengthen its military power in the East Sea.