The first domestically-built carrier (built by CSIC) was delivered to the Navy

China’s first domestically-built Carrier Shandong was delivered to the Navy at a Naval Port in Sanya, Hainan, at the afternoon of 17th December 2019. Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Central Committee of CPC, Chairman of the People’s Republic China, and Chairman of Central Military Commission attended the Handover and Addition Ceremony.

It was a sunny and warm day in Sanya, a city along the South China sea, with blue sky and ocean. Inside the naval port, the Carrier Shandong berthed there calmly, with flags flying on it. About 5000 representatives from the Navy and the shipyard building the carrier gathered on the wharf to celebrate this great event. At about 4:00 p.m., the Handover and Addition Ceremony began, and all participants sang the National Anthem of the People’s Republic of China. The five-star flag rose to the sky. Guards of Honor convoyed the Army Flag and Naming Certificate and marched towards the Chairman Podium in parade steps. Chairman Xi Jinping handed the Army Flag and the Naming Certificate to the Captain and Political Commissar of Carrier Shandong.

The Captain and Political Commissar of Carrier Shandong saluted to Xi Jinping and took over the Army Flag and Naming Certificate from Xi Jinping. They took a group photo together with Xi Jinping. The Handover and Addition Ceremony was closed amid the song of PLA. Afterwards, Xi Jinping boarded the Carrier Shandong and reviewed the Guards of Honor. Xi Jinping checked on some equipment and asked about the work and life of pilots for carrier-based aircraft. Xi Jinping came to the steering house and talked cordially with officers and soldiers, and signed solemnly on the log book. Xi Jinping met with representative officers and soldiers on the Carrier and shipyard representative on the wharf. Xi Jinping acknowledged the achievements for building the carrier and encouraged them to continue their efforts and make new contributions to the party and people. Ding Xuexiang, Liu He, He Lifeng and Li Zuocheng attended the ceremony. Zhang Youxia moderated the ceremony and announced that China’s first domestically-built carrier was added to the fleet as well as its Name and Hull Name. Lei Fanpei, the Chairman of China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited and Shen Jinlong delivered speeches in the ceremony. With the approval from the Central Military Committee, the first domestically-built carrier was named as “the PLA Navy Carrier Shandong” and the Hull Number was 17. Leaders from relevant central and and state departments, military committee, Southern Theater of Operations, Navy, Hainan Province and builder of the Carrier attended the ceremony.

This is the first domestically-built carrier and all parts were independently designed, built and supplied by Chinese producers. It has solved two technical bottlenecks that have constrained the development of Chinese carriers, i.e. hull structure and key power equipment. DSIC has developed the hull material hot/cold machining and welding process by simulation of block building, and applied the gas shielded welding, submerged arc welding and other advanced welding technology, and completed the hull building with high quality and high efficiency. The welding quality and precision surpassed Carrier Liaoning in all aspects. DSIC adopted the strategy of “assembly shipbuilding, regional installation and system commissioning” and the method of “integrating hull outfitting and painting”.

DSIC has developed the shipbuilding process of “advance outfitting by blocks, whole-section outfitting, and basin outfitting”. Thus, DSIC has established a complete system of carrier building, test and process, and explored actively the modern mode of carrier building. Based on the experience from completing the building of Carrier Liaoning, DSIC has further consolidated its organizational management system on the carrier’s mega-system project, and consummated management rules on building, quality, safety and confidentiality and trained carrier R&D, building, test and management professionals.