Posted on 10/16/2005 10:41:17 AM PDT by Jeff Head
In the last months there has been a lot of interest expressed on FR about aircraft carriers. I have found that there is a lot of interest all over the net.
So, I created a web site about all of the World's Aircraft Carriers. It will surprise you how many countries operate at least one...and also how many are building large-deck Amphibious Assault ships.
Of course, no one holds a candle at this time to America's capabilities in this regard.
Please enjoy, and let me know what you think. I hope it serves as a resource for naval enthusiasts everywhere. Just click on the banner below and take a look:
Thanks for the "Heads Up"...Nicely done, JH!
"This is what you do when you can't design a decent catapult, or don't have the money or the will to build a full carrier"
Catapaults allow us to get aircraft in the air with more ordinance and more fuel. The ski jump is really only for the VSTOL aircraft, or the nations who haven't figured out catapaults yet. When you go off a sky jump, your ordinance and fuel are restricted because you can't have as much weight.
The British know catapaults...but they lost the political will to maintain real carriers. What they have doen with the Invincible class is great...but they are going back to the large carriers now.
I think the VSTOL carriers are great for close in fleet protection and limited close air support. If we get a VSTOL AEW for them and when the JSF is going, it will make them even better...and free up the main line carriers for other serious work. Nothing beats a large, fixed-wing, long legged, full deck carrier wing when it comes to force projection. A parking air force just off anyone's shore. A moving, fully functional air filed.
Just my thoughts on it.
The Coral Sea was decommissioned 26 April 1990. Stricken from the Navy List, she was sold by the Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service (DRMS) for scrapping on 7 May 1993 but scrapping was delayed by numerous financial, legal and environmental issues until finally completed on 8 September 2000.
US Navy history of CVB-43 Coral Sea
Wikipedia Entry for the Coral Sea
Good quick glance comparisons. I'll bookmark it to go with HazeGray http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/ . Warships1 used to have some good material, but they've pulled most of their content. They still have some good material on naval guns.
I hope it is a useful resource and I will keep it up to date.
Thanks, Jeff. Appreciate all the info, and you are an asset beyond compare in such matters.
The Varyag was sold to the Chinese without engines or rudders. Until we actually see her underway under her own power you might want to rate her speed as 0.
This typpe of innovation is why the US leads all comers in this field.
Global Security has a good write up on the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable, and here's a pic:
Ping.
We shall see what that is...if she becomes operational, I listed the same speed as her sister ship.
That's all.
I just hope find it useful...and enjoyable.
The Varayag was a hulk laying around and rusting until last June when they started painting her. Fitting her with boilers and turbines would be a major job requiring a considerable amount of time and would probably include ripping up sections of her flight deck to allow access to her engine room. I haven't seen any reports of that happening, have you?. I have no idea what the PLAN is planning by spiffing her up in a new paint job but like I said, I'll believe she's a threat once I see her underway.
But they have had her there with aux power running into her for well over two years...and there has been considerable work going on. It is possible to do the job on the engines internal to the carrier if they use the hangar deck, cranes in there, and cut in through there. Not easy...but possible.
...and if they didn't really want you to know they were doing so...well, it is possible.
Considerable time and money are being spent on her to some purpose. We will have to all wait to see what that is.
Until then, I will not underestimate them...at the same time, what you say is also very true. The Varyag is no threat until she is underway under her own power and loaded with aircraft (which is another significant hurdle for them).
But they have had her there with aux power running into her for well over two years...and there has been considerable work going on. It is possible to do the job on the engines internal to the carrier if they use the hangar deck, cranes in there, and cut in through there. Not easy...but possible.
...and if they didn't really want you to know they were doing so...well, it is possible.
Considerable time and money are being spent on her to some purpose. We will have to all wait to see what that is.
Until then, I will not underestimate them...at the same time, what you say is also very true. The Varyag is no threat until she is underway under her own power and loaded with aircraft (which is another significant hurdle for them).
You would need quite catapault and arresting system for that baby.
Thanks, I have to get the book, I used to work with a guy who was reading it when we were working graveyard shift and he said it was one of the best dang stories he ever read.
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