Virus outbreak impacts China’s aircraft carrier plans, defence programs

New Delhi: The coronavirus outbreak could have a major impact on China’s defence modernisation plans, as Beijing has decided to slow down the pace of key defence production programme including in Wuhan, the epicentre of the disease.

Top Chinese defence companies have postponed planned work, in order to concentrate on controlling the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Wuhan is home to many Chinese weapons and equipment design and manufacturing institutes, like Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group that builds submarines, and the Naval University of Engineering, which is developing advanced naval technologies like the electromagnetic catapult, railgun, full electric propulsion, and submarine-related technologies, ET has learnt.

China’s aircraft carrier programme could take big hit because of the latest developments. According to statements released by the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, which is reportedly building China's third aircraft carrier, and Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, maker of the J-15 carrier-based fighter jet in Northeast China's Liaoning Province, have extended the Spring Festival holiday to Sunday. They have asked employees who travelled to other cities since the virus outbreak not to return to work until further notice, or quarantine themselves at home for 14 days. This will result in delays in the construction of the new aircraft carrier and the fighter jets, ET has learnt.

China is ushering in the building of a blue-water navy, in which aircraft carriers play a crucial role. Since 1985, China has acquired four retired aircraft carriers for study: the Australian HMAS Melbourne and the ex-Soviet carriers Minsk, Kiev and Varyag. The Varyag later underwent an extensive refit to be converted into the Liaoning, China's first operational aircraft carrier, which also served as a basis for its subsequent design iterations. As of 2018, the People's Liberation Army Navy has two combat-ready aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong, with the third under construction. It is projected that China may possess five or six aircraft carriers by the 2030s.

China initially intended to acquire Russian Sukhoi Su-33 aircraft to be operated from its aircraft carriers. However, it later developed the Shenyang J-15 as a derivative of the Su-33, featuring Chinese technology and avionics.

Xu Guangyu, a senior adviser to the China Arms Control and Disarmament Association, told China’s Global Times on Monday that while the coronavirus outbreak would have an impact on China's weapons and equipment programmes, it would be short-term, as the virus is expected to only last for a few months at worst. Prioritising the health and safety of people is absolutely the right course to avoid fatalities, as well as mitigate any long-term impact, Xu said.