China's first aircraft carrier spotted at sea

This Dec. 8, 2011, satellite image provided by the the DigitalGlobe Analysis Center shows the Chinese aircraft carrier Varyag sailing in the Yellow Sea, approximately 100 kilometers south-southeast of the port of Dalian, China. / AP Photo/DigitalGlobe

DENVER - A commercial U.S. satellite company said it has captured a photo of China's first aircraft carrier in the Yellow Sea off the Chinese coast.

DigitalGlobe Inc. said Wednesday one of its satellites photographed the carrier Dec. 8. A DigitalGlobe analyst found the image Tuesday while searching through photos.

Stephen Wood, director of DigitalGlobe's analysis center, said he's confident the ship is the Chinese carrier because of the location and date of the photo. The carrier was on a sea trial at the time.

DigitalGlobe, based in Longmont, Colorado, sells satellite imagery and analysis to clients that include the U.S. military, emergency response agencies and private companies. DigitalGlobe has three orbiting satellites and a fourth is under construction.

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The aircraft carrier has generated intense international interest because of what it might portend about China's intentions as a military power.

The former Soviet Union started building the carrier, which it called the Varyag, but never finished it. When the Soviet Union collapsed, it ended up in the hands of Ukraine, a former Soviet republic.

China bought the ship from Ukraine in 1998 and spent years refurbishing it. It had no engines, weaponry or navigation systems when China acquired it.

China has said the carrier is intended for research and training, which has led to speculation that it plans to build future copies.

China initially said little about its plans for the carrier but has been more open in recent years, said Bonnie S. Glaser, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"It wasn't until the Chinese actually announced they were sending it out on a trial run they admitted, `Yes, we are actually launching a carrier,"' she said.

China publicly announced two sea trials for the carrier that occurred this year, she said.

The carrier's progress is in line with the U.S. military's expectations, said Cmdr. Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Defense Department spokeswoman.

A Defense Department report to Congress this year said the carrier could become operationally available to the Chinese navy by the end of next year but without aircraft.

"From that point, it will take several additional years before the carrier has an operationally viable air group," Hull-Ryde said in an email.

She declined to comment on the DigitalGlobe photo, saying it was an intelligence matter.

China's first aircraft carrier, the former Soviet carrier Varyag, is seen Aug. 4, 2011, at the Port of Dalian in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

/ AFP/Getty Images

[Jesus_Loves_Children]

Chinese Child Safety Labels

Caution: Air craft carrier may not be suitable for children. Carrier may contain lead paint (that can cause fatal poisoning if swallowed), small airplane pieces (that can provoke severe chocking), pirate cannons that shoot realistic plastic cannon balls (can lose an eye) one hundred thousand small electric motors (can cause fatal electrocution) that propels the ship and turns a neat assembly of radars and antennas, bootleg Ipads ( video war games can be addictive and cause violent reactions) for the control room .

Notice: Warranty void after thirty days or used in a real war...

[erasmus111]

"Chinese Child Safety Labels"

China doesn't have safety labels because they don't give a rat's ass. They poison their children and animals right along with the rest of the world. Poison in baby formula, animal food etc. They beat the dogs to death instead of giving them rabies shots. They torture pigs by shoving metal pipes down their throats and pouring sewage down them. That's to fatten them up for sale. MMMMMMM yummy.

No respect for life. Human or animal.

[modonnel22]

Great, now the Chinese can waste billions of dollars on useless carrier task forces as we've done for decades.

[modonnel22]

What I know is that having a massive military did nothing to save the Soviet Union. An entire carrier force can easily be destroyed by a single nuclear missle (without any defence). It's a disgusting waste of resources. The Chinese have thus far been playing the smarter game of winning though global economics. It's good news for us that they seem to be reverting to our more stupid stategy of costly sabre rattling.

[SouthernRebel9]

FOLKS; The world, had better get used to having, 'China as another
Super Power!' This is a, 'good example of what this country
intends to do, with the trillions of U.S.Dollars!'

[julesarcher1]

Not to worry - it was Made in China!

[drcbs]

Big Deal. The United States has 67. UK has 40. Together, that's more than double the rest of the world combined.

[FreshxWater]

In 1969 our satellite picked up home plate at Dodgers Stadium. Before computers, micro electronics, software, advanced lens technology. I sure HOPE not one American believes this is a typical Milstar image capture!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!

[oneStarman]

It seems to be moving a Quite a Clip - The wake is Enormous.

[OnTheCrown]

Paid in full by the U.S. taxpayer. Nice job!

[fjinnw2]

Do you how much money the US owes China?

[KnowerseekerReturns]

dknelson353, most U.S. "liberal" Jews are Democrats, but the conservative Israel loves the Republicans.

[silvereagle2718]

they are exploring the technology...getting their feet wet. an entirely reasonable thing to do.

we get a better feel for their intentions when they decide to commit significant resources to something.

don't underestimate china, but don't assume hostile intent when none is demonstrated. at some point, they will have to decide if they want to be a major military power. development of the technology merely means that the option is on the table and the (friend or enemy) (us, perhaps) is better understood.

building a bunch of them might indicate they have a use for such things. not necessarily a cause for alarm, but aircraft carriers can be dangerous toys and the use of weapons as a source of profit is prone to be frowned upon....

[signseeker1717]

Another consideration is balance of power: The Chinese live "next door" to the heavily-armed rogue nation North Korea, and although China is a North Korean "ally", there may be some concern they need to stay alert, as NK exerts considerable sabre-rattling against South Korea. Another reason (more sinister) is that the Chinese still consider Taiwan a renegade province, not an independent nation, and they do a bit of sabre rattling themselves. This also lends credence as to why US marines are going to be stationed in Australia to assist in regional exercises. Precautionary measures seem to be the motivations, not outright aggression, for these developments.

[longtree-2009]

grandfather says it's kind of funny. for years, it was beware of the communists. yet he says, we lost korea to communism and vietnam too. china a communist nation produces all sorts of products found on store shelves everywhere in the USA. a communist nation, china, gets foreign aid from the USA and china loans the USA money as well as buys its debt. grandfather insists a communist nation keeps the USA afloat financially. once grandfather gets started, everyone gets a lesson on history which includes communist cuba that has outlasted every POTUS from jfk to the present. fidel castro still reigns he says. like it or not, grandfather says china has earned the right to expand militarily at sea, air, on land and the USA has helped them indirectly and perhaps directly.