CV-16, CV-17 STOBAR carrier thread (001/Liaoning, 002/Shandong)

[00CuriousObserver]

The real MLU should be as what MLU stands for Mid-Life Upgrade. An aircraft carrier's mid life should be around 20 years after commission date or service commencement date. MLU for large ships could take up to 2 or 3 years to complete. Some ships took even longer.

So MLU for Shandong in 2026 is far too early.

I think this is a minor maintenance job like cleaning the bottom hull or having some new paints etc.

Right.

I think the more important thing (and what we're waiting to see) has been the ship upgrade that enables J-35 compatiblity.

 

[AF-1]

It is not necessarily be MLU, might be simply an upgrade to make it more competitive, since Chinese tech advanced immensely since ship has been commissioned.

 

[00CuriousObserver]

Shandong in that dock, via 心系168

 

[mack8]

If i understand correctly the premiere here is that it's the first time we see a PLAN carrier drydocked in a different facility (in this case a Navy facility) outside the shipyards where they were built/maintained to date?

 

[00CuriousObserver]

Maint work underway on the Shandong. Don't see signs of refit for J-35 yet. Photo is dated Feb 7, via 心系168

 

[Gloire_bb]

It is not necessarily be MLU, might be simply an upgrade to make it more competitive, since Chinese tech advanced immensely since ship has been commissioned.

It doesn't mean current one is incompetitive - or can't be brought to speed sufficiently with software/comm/battle management upgrades.

 

[lcloo]

Looks like Shandong is undergoing maintenance of applying new anti-slip coating on the flight deck. Dalian had undergone similar anti-slip coating around August 2018.

At the same time they could use this dry dock time to do some maintenance or non-major upgrade on whatever deemed need to be done, example scrap the bottom hull to clear the barnacles, and to re-apply with new layer of anti-fouling paint.

Liaoning had her flight deck recoated after around 6 years post commissioning. Shandong is now also around 6 years post commissioning.

 

[Deino]

Just a nice image via @Captain小潇

 

[Deino]

Via @CHINAPLA1

Satellite images from February 24 show that the anti-slip coating and marking lines on the deck of the Chinese Navy's aircraft carrier Shandong (CV-17) have been completely removed.

 

[Tomboy]

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CV-16 out at sea again