Posted on 06/29/2005 5:33:55 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
/begin my translation
China Secretly Constructing an Aircraft Carrier
China recently completed the final design for an Chinese aircraft carrier, and start in early August to construct it in secret at Jiang-nan Shipyard, Zhang-xing Island near Shanghai, reported the June 29th issue of Hong Kong Economic Daily(Jing-ji-ri-bao,) quoting (Chinese) high-level military sources.
Costing 3 billion yuan(390 million dollars), which takes up 3% of Chinese military budget, this carrier, due to be completed next year if everything goes well, has top speed 30 knots per hour and its maximal displacement is 78,000 ton. It is equipped with Russian engines and radars.
It will carry 54 fighter planes and 13 anti-submarine helicopters, and the introduction of latest Russian fighters(Su-33) is also in the works. When it would be in service in 2008, it is expected to boost Chinese naval strength.
The paper reports, "Zhang Guang-qin, vice minister of the Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense, denied the rumor that a carrier is under construction. However, he emphasized it is the sacred duty of the Chinese navy to safeguard the country's sovereignty of territorial waters. It is in this context which they go for the construction of the carrier."
(Song Ui-dal, reporting from Hong Kong)
/end my translation
None at all.
China turned down Kerry's ship plans. Had he been elected our defense budget would have been slashed.
Here is the proto-type: USS sKERRY, a poodle-class carrier.
It would be assigned to both the 6th and 7th Fleet to remind the world not mess with Democrats.
Way down the list. Actually the modernised USS Shangri-La beat the Forrestal into service by 9 months in January 55
First 10 angled deck carriers in service
USS Antietam April 53 (unmodernised apart from the experimental angled deck)
HMS Centuar Sep 53
HMS Albion May 54
HMS Bulwark Nov 54
USS Shangri La Jan 55
HMS Ark Royal Feb 55
USS Bennington April 55
USS Lexington Aug 55
USS Bin Homme Richard Sep 55
USS Forrestal Oct 55
First Angled deck trials on the HMS Triumph (Experimental conversion acomplished like the slightly later Midway trial by the economical method of a sailor with a paint brush and a pot of white paint)
Actually it was a lot like what the Aussies are doing for the air warfare destroyers (AWDs). They have bought the Aegis and already have some of our missiles including in the last few days the SM-2.
The Japanese have an interesting twist on this, one I wish we had. They have an Aegis ship (Kongo class) and pair it with one or two Murasame class. The Murasame class don't have the Aegis system, but have missiles that can be aimed by the Kongo. It reduces cost quite a bit. you might enjoy
http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/asiapac/japan.htm
BTW - The Taiwanese just recieved the 4 Perry class ships they had bought.
Actually, what's happening is that China, by the standards of the rest of the world, is becoming increasingly middle class.
As for the communist/fascist argument, a fascist state gears production to actual or perceived needs economically, turning the private enterprise owner into a manager under state employ. China is actually ecouraging private ownership of business and inviting foreign investment.
What's happening is that the Chinese leaders, having witnessed the Soviet implosion, have decided that as long as people are allowed to make money, they will forget that they have rights, and the communists can stay in power without anyone noticing. The average Chinese has not made the connection between economic and political rights, but they soon will --- with the explosion of the internet, satellite Television and cellphones throughout China, it's merely a matter of time.
As for what China's true aims are, well then that could be considered fascist; it's to bring all ethnic Chinese under Beijing's sway, much like Hitler did with ethnic Germans. However, there is a far subtler undertone to Chinese "fascism" in that the hated system of capitalism must be used to further Communist aims. This is Lenin's dictum about Capitalist societies selling Communists the "rope with which we will hang them". Provided the ChiComs get their cut, get to control the action, and the people do not want corresponding political rights, capitalism is a good thing. Capitalism in the name of Nationalist Communism is an even better thing.
I was on a Spruance with LM2500's. that annoying whine just came rushing back to me.
You never got to sleep under the waist cat or the arrester gear. Wanna talk about noise?
it's amazing what some junk at wal-mart will buy, huh?
Actually, the worst noise I can remember is that sound the ship makes when they're blowing the heads. Not to mention the inconvenience of having to go topside to relieve yourself in the middle of the night.
The heads on our ship were so souped up that your ears popped when someone flushed. No $h(t.
If the quality of the ship is anything like the crap at Walmart, I don't think we have much to worry about
The Chinese oil company that is attempting to take over Unocal is 70% owned by the government.
Pretty fascist.
They've opened their economy to foreign investment, but no Chinese company can have a 50% foreign ownership. We couldn't take over a Chinese Unocal for damn sure.
Whether they can make this political and economic model last for any length of time is pretty debateable, but it's certainly worked since the demonstrations at Tienaman Square.
OK here come the sea stories ;)
Both of you guys would have loved being on a 2600ton cork in the North Atlantic. We had as much as 80 ft seas and 100kts wind on one trip. The Intrepid was with us and she had water over the flight deck. We had green water hitting the bridge windows. Spring '73 as I recall. And that's 1973 ok! ;)
Actually, a carrier is used as a platform to bring aircraft into action in places where they could normally not operate. Carriers "project power" only for the simple fact that they can pull up at any point on 3/4 of the earth's surface and deliver an air force greater than that of most small countries.
And it does not do that all by itself. It has ships with it to defend it from air and submarine attack, and ships that keep it fueled, provisioned and in repair to keep it at sea for extended periods of time. The carrier, by itself, is not a projection of power. The entire fleet is from the carrier down to the garbage scow and honeybuckets that serve it in port. The carrier is merely the most visible, awesome and celebrated part of that fleet.
Have to ask I keep hearing this.
"The Chinese oil company that is attempting to take over Unocal is 70% owned by the government."
What makes that facist? In the USSR most/all companies were owned by the government, but they were called socialists/communists.
What is the difference?
Intrepid? what the hell were you guys doing with a family sedan out there?
They add up.
They are working on making a comeback.
No respect for your elders. ;)
We were ASW Group 4, chasing soviet subs from the UK to Iceland and up to Murmansk. Up close and personal.
Our air proctection consisted of 4 A-4s off the Intrepid.
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