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China’s aircraft carrier doctrine diverges from US model
The Pentagon previously estimated China could expand to nine carriers by 2035, but analysts point to changes in recruitment, command structure, and fleet integration instead of copying the US approach.
South China Morning Post examines how China’s evolving aircraft carrier doctrine may differ from the US Navy, arguing that the key differences are not just the number of ships Beijing builds. The outlet frames the debate around carrier ambitions alongside a broader look at how the People’s Liberation Army’s plans are shaped as China approaches its centenary goals.
The article notes that Western discussion has often focused on fleet size, citing a Pentagon estimate made last year that Beijing planned to expand its carrier fleet to nine by 2035. It also says experts see more consequential shifts happening behind visible ship launches, including how pilots are recruited, how command structures are organized, and how fleets are integrated.
South China Morning Post includes comments from Brendan Mulvaney, director of the China Aerospace Studies Institute, who argues Western analysts mistakenly evaluate the Chinese navy through a “mirror” of US doctrine. He says similar equipment does not guarantee the same use, because China’s goals, missions, and challenges are different, leading to what he describes as Chinese solutions to Chinese problems.
The piece concludes that China’s carrier force is developing under strategic conditions that are not the same as those that shaped American naval doctrine, emphasizing that doctrine and operations are expected to reflect those differences.