In the past few days, the waters around Taiwan have been very lively. Not only are the People's Liberation Army's Liaoning aircraft carrier conducting routine training in this waters, but the Japanese Self-Defense Force's Izumo quasi-aircraft carrier and the US Navy's Lincoln aircraft carrier are also currently in the waters near the Western Pacific. While Taiwan media is hyping that "People's Liberation Army aircraft carriers are practicing offensive and defensive wars with Taiwan as the background", it seems that they have the confidence to challenge the mainland.
According to the Global Times on May 8, citing Taiwanese media reports, in addition to the 18 PLA fighter jets entering the Taiwan air defense identification zone on the 6th, there are also the PLA's Liaoning ship, the USS Lincoln and Reagan aircraft carrier strike groups, and the Japanese "Izumo" quasi-aircraft carriers - the four major aircraft carrier battle groups in the same frame as Taiwan's eastern waters, which is "extraordinary".
Obviously, Taiwan media speculated that the four major aircraft carrier battle groups were in the same frame as Taiwan's eastern waters in order to offset the first huge formation composed of five destroyers, one frigate and one comprehensive supply ship, and to bring psychological pressure and deterrence to separatists on the island and external forces, so as to stabilize the determination of separatists on the island to "resist the unification with force." Such hype by Taiwanese media can not deceive others except those frogs in the well on the island.
In addition to the Liaoning aircraft carrier formation, which can be called a real aircraft carrier battle group, the other three so-called "aircraft carrier battle groups" are all miserable. First of all, let’s look at the Japanese Self-Defense Force, which has been tracking and monitoring the Liaoning aircraft carrier formation. It dispatched the “Izumo” helicopter destroyer . In addition to being able to take off and land a carrier-based helicopter, it has been modified and has the ability to take off and land F-35B fighter jets. At most, it can be called a “quasi-aircraft carrier”. Moreover, the displacement of the Izumo is less than 20,000 tons, which is still a big gap compared with the displacement of the 40,000 tons of the newly-appointed Amphibious Assault Ship of the PLA. The single "Izumo" wants to challenge the Liaoning aircraft carrier battle group with a complete formation, which is completely a dream.
Let’s talk about the US Navy’s “Lincoln” aircraft carrier. After the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group was deployed to the Asia-Pacific region in January this year, it has been active near the so-called first island chain. During this period, it also broke into China's South China Sea twice and entered the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea waters last month. However, such frequent dispatch has allowed other ships of the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group to enter the maintenance stage in advance, and the integrity of its battle group is currently greatly reduced. Moreover, since the deployment of the USS Lincoln aircraft carrier to the Asia-Pacific region, the People's Liberation Army has sent several ships to closely track and monitor it. Under such circumstances, the Lincoln aircraft carrier cannot cause any storm.
is the last one, the "Reagan" aircraft carrier. Currently, this aircraft carrier has just finished its routine renovation and has been docked at the dock for maintenance. Just this can be considered "in the same frame"?
It can be seen from this that among the four aircraft carriers or "quasi-aircraft carriers" in the waters of Taiwan, the only one with a complete formation and can truly enter the battle immediately is the Liaoning aircraft carrier formation. The other three ships have either just completed renovation, are nearing the end of their use cycle, or are a single "Izumo" helicopter destroyer with no self-defense capabilities.
Taiwan media hype that "four aircraft carriers are in the same frame" is completely a hype that is forced to pull the tiger's skin as a banner. It does not pose any threat to the Liaoning aircraft carrier formation, and it is even more difficult to deter the PLA's routine military training in the Taiwan Strait. Of course, major powers have the ability to destroy each other, and no one will easily attack the other's aircraft carrier formation unless they don't want to survive.
The main function of our aircraft carrier is regional denial. Once the war of unification is launched, it will block the extraterritorial forces from the battlefield. Taiwanese media want to see the navies of China and the United States fight for them for 300 rounds, which is completely overthinking. If you continue to split, just wait for the day of death. No one can save them.
