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| Footage from a CCTV broadcast showing the aircraft carrier catapult. (Internet photo) |
A recently unveiled satellite photo showing China testing an aircraft carrier launch system has led experts to believe China has made a breakthrough in the design of its catapult system.
China Central Television (CCTV) reported that the catapult being tested to help planes take off quickly is more efficient than the "ski-jump" ramp used to launch aircraft on China's first carrier, the Liaoning.
The report said the catapult enables aircraft to be launched quickly, upgrading their combat efficiency.
Li Li, a military expert in China, said catapult takeoff device technology is currently dominated by the United States, but if the satellite photo is true, it means that China has "made a groundbreaking and strategic breakthrough" in aircraft carrier technology.
Li said both steam and electromagnetic catapults are used to launch aircraft, with the United States the first country to use the electromagnetic launch system.
Read the full story at Want China Times