Geopolitics of aircraft carriers in the Indo-Pacific

June 1, 2023 • Vidéo •

The Fujian, China’s first Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) aircraft carrier, is scheduled to begin sea trials in 2024. Such a warship is undoubtedly the most comprehensive and powerful means of power projection available today. When development of the Fujian is complete, it will be the first in a series of ships that, along with the other components of a carrier strike group, will form the core of China’s power projection capabilities. These carrier strike groups would enable the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to challenge the U.S. Navy and its allies for control of the global ocean by 2049, the centennial year of the People’s Republic. China’s mastery of aircraft carrier design represents a major strategic advance in the vast Indo-Pacific region, which is of concern to both regional powers such as Japan and India, as well as Western powers.

On the occasion of the publication of Hugues Eudeline’s new Note The Genesis and Role of Aircraft Carriers in China’s Geopolitics, debate with Vice Admiral Vijay Shankar, former Commanding Officer of aircraft carrier INS Viraat, former Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Forces Command (India), Vice Admiral Yoji Koda, former Commander-in-Chief, Self Defense Fleet (Japan) and Captain (Navy) Hugues Eudeline, director of Research at the Thomas More Institute (France).