Posted on 08/14/2005 6:00:25 PM PDT by Jeff Head
But not damged in the classical sense.
Don't tell the ChiComs, but we would sink their little boat without even seeing it....
The UN refused to classify this ship as a floating casino after becoming suspicious when the inspecting team pulled one of the slot machine handles and it launched three missiles. ;>
Just my point. Even the communists are betting that our carriers are fat juicy targets just waiting for a missle swarm.
Hehe
Who's kidding who about who leads and who follows?
" I acquired this photo at great risk."
That's a pretty short catapult ride there. They must really pour on the knots to get that sucker airborne.
"buying a aircraft carrier dont mean squat until you have experience in sea warfare. Which China DOESNT."
They'll be getting plenty of experience but it won't last long.
Well they have seen what happened to our destroyer when confronted with a small boat full of explosives.
let them build two, two carriers, two bombs, they are out alot of money
I know I sound like a broken record on these fora, but their possession of our national debt instruments is a greater threat than any dozen aircraft carriers.
I wouldnt discount any potential enemy.
We have what 11 active carriers?
We should build 11 more.
Name the active carriers and receive the Golden Citizen Award...
Maybe, maybe not. The Varyag is a Kuznetsov-class carrier.
http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery;jsessionid=bgteb70b6tnjq?method=4&dsid=2222&dekey=Soviet+aircraft+carrier+Kuznetsov&gwp=8&curtab=2222_1&sbid=lc01a&linktext=%3CI%3EKuznetsov%3C%2FI%3E-class
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Intended missions
While designated an aircraft carrier, Kuznetsov's design implies a mission different from that of either the United States Navy's carriers or those of the Royal Navy's. The Russian ship is termed by her builders to be a tyazholiy avionosnyy kreyser - a "heavy aviation cruiser" - intended to support and defend strategic missile-carrying submarines, surface ships, and maritime missile-carrying aircraft of the Russian fleet. The aircraft of the Kuznetsov are essentially constrained to air superiority operations. The lack of catapults on the Kuznetsov precludes launching strike aircraft with heavy loads, which makes it essentially impossible for aircraft to attack land or naval targets. The carrier can carry helicopters for anti-submarine operations, however, and she also carries anti-shipping missiles.
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The air wing of a Kuznetsov-class is 16 Yak-41M Freestyles, 12 Sukhoi SU-27K, and a whole bunch of choppers - including over 20 choppers. Basically, it is a cross between one of our Tarawa-class assault carriers and our old Forrestal-class fleet carriers, with some Nimitz-class features thrown in (though it's not nuclear powered). It's intended to support and defend a sub fleet, which is what the Chinese are building. It has a LOT more defensive systems than our Nimitz class, especially after the latest Nimitz upgrades that removed the CIWS emplacements in favor of Sea Sparrow launchers. It doesn't need a task force to escort it.
Chinese artist rendering of the same
In addition, they have spent significant time and money studyoing the problem and now the Vayrag continues to be repaired. That costs money too.
Finally, the ski-jumpos at their airfields are rather obvious indications of intent.
I believe they intedn to continue there massive builduo across the board, including towards carrier development...based on their words and their actions.
"I can't see the Chinese spending all that money on a carrier when they have so many bases around the world to develop--like in Panama and the Bahamas, for instance..."
True.
Yes, the Kuznetsov class is a ski-jump take-off carrier...but it is 60-65000 tons, and is considered full deck using the STOAL (Short take off arrested landing) the Russians developed for theirs.
Nope I cant do it LoL
Enterprise? Constitution?
Our fleet is dwindling and many such as Rumsfeld feel that we need a sleeker more agile military. and I do think there is merit to the arguement.
However I would not discount any threat from china
Anyone who doesn't believe that China will not be a major threat to the United States in the next few years needs to take a major dose of reality and consider the fact that China has been wooing Mexico and many of our southern neighbors for the past few years. A build-up of several million Chinese troops on our southern border could very well be in the cards in the next decade. This carrier, and any future brethren, would go a long way toward securing a supply corridor between China and Mexico. Capture a few small islands in the Central Pacific and the Chinese will have a series of airbases to provide air cover for their convoys.
Yes, our fleet could possibly stop this scenario, or at least put a damper on their plans, but a Pearl Harbor-style assault on the US bases at Pearl Harbor, San Diego, and Bremerton would cripple the US Pacific Fleet long enough for the land war to be decided one way or another.
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