Latest pictures out of China of PLANs work on the Carrier Varyag

CHINA.COM Military Pics ^ | 10 Octoner 2005 | Jeff Head

[Jeff Head]

The PLAN is readying the former Russian carrier Varyag for something. These pictures show the exterior painting now being completed in the standard PLAN surface combatant colors, with the superstructure preparing to be painted.

They have been working on the project in their naval shipyards for over two year now.

[Allen H]

Yeah doesn't the TU-95 have eight contra-rotating props on four turbo prop engines? 400 some odd mph. Fast for a prop plane but like you said too, it can't turn on a football field, much less a dime. I'm surprised any of them actually have detection gear as advances as a P-3 Orion. That is disturbing. I still wouldn't bet on them being able to successfully hunt our subs. They're big slow turning targets and a coule F-15's anywhere within a couple thousand miles could nail it. Big easy target and the Chinese don't have any long range interceptors to escort it that I've seen so far.

[sit-rep]

Question for you... Why is China buying U.S. Treasury notes?

[Allen H]

Geeze that is a dark scenario. I need a drink after reading that. ;) Do you think they'd be able to take it all and hold it though? That's what I still wonder about. I keep wondering if it wouldn't be very similar to Germany and Japan taking so much in such a short time that they're stratched thin and unable to hold what they take. On the bright side, China is accessable to us by the sea, and we could bring Shanghai to it's knees from the sea and South Korea and Japan. If the Chinese government is effectively destroyed and the communist government distabilized, all that captured territory would be unimportant. I have to go now, but I'll sure check this out later. Great to chat with you. 8)

[pageonetoo]

Like I said in the past, Our Wal-Mart (substitute company name of choice) money at work.

I shop at WalMart often, and don't buy much chinese stuff. I do buy a lot of American goods there. I know that RadioShack has at least seven factories in China, and the list can go down the page... WalMart just buys from the lowest bidder, like every other international company...

think Loral Space... if you are looking for villains!

[Cheburashka]

You've got it. This is their Langley.

They also bought the Minsk and took it apart. I suspect that part of their plans is to gain insight into how to design and build large Naval vessels. The next step is building from the keel up in their own shipyards, to their own design.

If you're going to match the U.S. carrier for carrier, you have start with one, then two, then three,...

[Cheburashka]

Do you suppose this sitting duck is a decoy, and a modern fleet of carriers is being assembled else where?

---

You can't hide the construction of a carrier from satellites - it's too big.

Even when it's built it takes years of training to get the carrier and its air wing battle-ready. And you need the escort ships as well, and they need years of training as well.

[Cheburashka]

Yes, it's small enough to fit through the Canal and since China controls the Canal, it should be no problem to send it through.

---

Panama Canal locks are 110 ft. wide. The Iowa Class battleships were designed at 108ft., 6in. to get through. No American carriers built since the Essex class has fit in the Panama canal.

Are you sure of your information?

[dgallo51]

God that's so comforting. Is this a Great Society or what?

[adam_az]

"Yes, our next presidential choice may be based on coming wars, and not so much on social issues. I can see Giuliani standing up to the Chinese, Condi Rice would too (shes good on social issues too this is easier.."

Giuliani won't even stand up for the 2nd amendment. If he stands up to the chinese and takes your guns, what the heck is he defending? Nothing I want to be a part of!

Condi? She told W to not attack AQ bases in Syria. The story was posted on FR today. Social issues? Who the heck knows where she stands?

[adam_az]

"Between the air to air interceptor capability of our F-14s and F-18s"

F-14 was just retired a few weeks ago.

[HHKrepublican_2]

It was written by Newsweek...you actully believe that? They see her as the anti-hillary candidate, so they are trying to make her lose any support on the right.

[Rockpile]

When they get a suitable enough carrier force they can lean on the neighboring Asian nations a little harder. I expect that new large shipbuliding and drydocking facilities are underway in China and they're gaining practical deep ocean, large ship experience with the merchant fleet and producing a generation of trained sailors whilst doing so. Look what the Japanese accomplished between the time of the slap in the face by the Royal Navy in the 1860s and WWII---that's just in one man's lifespan.

Asians are potentially vastly more dangerous as opponents than our standard muslim boogeymen.

[Rockpile]

F-14 was just retired a few weeks ago.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I think that the last F14 squadron will go out of business next summer. We have not got anything with the Tomcat's range to replace it but what do you need range for? The Pacific is a little ocean, right?

[Rockpile]

The last two F14 squadrons are currently deployed on Theodore Roosevelt.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1494696/posts

[Stonewall Jackson]

Oops, my bad.

The Varyag is 124 feet wide, so I guess it won't fit through the Canal.

I thought that we'd constructed a new series of locks to handle the carriers and some of the larger merchant ships, but I could be wrong.

[Rockpile]

If Mr Li ever orders Hutchison-Whampoa to build bigger locks in the Panama Canal they are going to HAVE to recycle the water instead of letting it get away. There'd be a danger of drawing down that fresh-water lake too much with really big locks I bet.

[GoldCountryRedneck]

The ski-jump bow looks alot like the Royal Navy's Harrier launcher.....

"T-A-I-W-A-N" was my first thought, too, as I looked at this first pic.

Harriers' are primarily ground support aircraft ala Granada.

And....just where would a probable (and justifiable to the ChiComs) first invasion be conducted....hmmmmmmmm.

[LonghornFreeper]

Here's the list of submarines destroyed by the the Chinese Navy in their entire history:


They'll never be able to defend it from an ASW perspective (and that's leaving out the myriad other ways the thing can be destroyed). It's clearly a waste of money; surprisingly, there's quite a bit of info out there about the debate within the PLAN of the advisability of attempting to enter the carrier game. Having read them I'd have to clearly agree with the anti-carrier guys (from their perspective.)


Here is a list of the huge skyscrapers destroyed by terrorists on US soil (accurate as of September 10, 2001):



I guess lists like that are kind of pointless, aren't they. Just because China hasn't sunk a submarine before doesn't mean they can't in the future. Obviously every nation at one point or another had not sunk a submarine. Just being cocky won't get us anything, we must prepare.

[Barnacle]

Nautically speaking, it's a beautiful thing. But, I can't admire a weapon when it's pointed at me.

[dgallo51]

A few more trips to WalMart and I'm sure they'll have that trench widened enough to fly an amphibious C130 through.