Posted on 12/31/2005 7:29:43 AM PST by Wiz
December 30, 2005: China has received a third Sovremenny class destroyer from Russia. The first two were taken out of Russian navy service and sold to China. These next two are newly built, and improved versions. These ships, displacing about 8,800 tons each, are equipped to defend itself with anti-aircraft missiles, and attack enemy ships with eight large ("Shipwreck"), supersonic anti-ship missiles. Each ship has an anti-submarine helicopter, 48 anti-aircraft missiles, four torpedo tube, mines, depth charges, sonar, two 130mm (5 inch) guns and a modern electronic warfare system. These ships cost $700 million each, about half what their American counterparts, the latest Aegis destroyers, go for.
(Excerpt) Read more at strategypage.com ...
Oh please. They look like newly built junk to me. Not to mention that we are almost a hundred years ahead of the Chi Coms in naval tactics. If they want to come out and play, let them have at it.They'll get their clocks cleaned. Thats not to say that they don't bear close watching.
You're probably right; only 215 lbs. of high explosive in the warhead.
Bear??? sorry I meant bare. Sorry, I cant even imagine what got into me.
I'm glad to see that another person doesn't dismiss the Chinese threat so easily.
A few years ago I talked to a member of congress who was serious about the matter. His looks told me more than his measured words.
You might be right but it only take one to keep them seriously busy just trying to stay alive.
Would you also say an 80 year old Ma Deuce and old old B-52 as piece of junk?
In other words, don't determine by the age of weapon alone.
In a head-to-head fight against the Chinese fleet, the US Navy would get a bloody nose, but the Chinese would be annihilated. Unfortunately, you also have to consider that any fleet engagement would likely be fought with range of Chinese land-based bombers. I think we could take them, but it would get messy. A Guadalcanal-scale messy.
Sure you aren't just quoting the majority opinion about the Japanese navy on December 6, 1941?
Have you recently looked at the numbers on the US Navy? There are presently 9 attack submarines on deployment - worldwide. There is presently 1 carrier at sea (Theodore Roosevelt - Persian Gulf). There are plans to shrink the carrier force by at least one ship. Total potentially deployable force - 281 and shrinking.
Have they fixed the Collins boats so that they can safely dive below 50 feet?
*snicker* Im shaking! The quality and attention to detail that went into Russian and Soviet manufacturing is well documented......./rolling eyes with sarcasm..
If we go to war with the Chinese, I FIRMLY believe that they would NUKE our carrier forces, then pick off the other ships.
The carriers are a projection of incredible power. I'm sure the loss of a carrier group or two would be worth a couple of cities to the Chi-coms.
China is also stealing our high end technology and inputing it into they're ships, making them much more lethal
Remember what the Chinese general said just before they entered the Korean War, when asked about the possibility that the US government would retaliate with nukes. 'So we loose a few million people. We can afford it.'
Might be a stretch to impute characteristics of the notorously tight Chinese businessman to the state.
Firstly,this article says precious little about these 2 new ships & the only details are those of the earlier ships.Whatever details have been released from other sources suggest different things-
1.These ships feature an improved propulsion system,though it's probably still steam turbines.It also has new RCS reducing features that the Russians introduced on the 'Talwar/Krivak-4' class frigates for the Indian navy ie. it will not be cluttered as the picture suggests.
2.The Chinese have reportedly signed up for a newer CIWS in place of the AK-630 guns.This is the 'Kashtan'system which is a naval variant of the Tunguska gun missile system.This will in theory atleast increase it's survivability.
3.The Chinese have also shown interest in newer variants of the SSN-22,with improved range & ECCM.Moreover,the 300 km range SSN-26 Yakhont is a possibility,though it's development with India,may dampen Chinese interest.The chances of it's new anti-ship missiles being vertically launched rather than being launched amidships is pretty high for obvious reasons.The Anti-aircraft & ASW fit may also be modernised.
The T-80 was exported only by the mid-90s & most of it was done by Ukraine,not Russia.Saddam only had T-72s,a generation older.
And how many D/E subs does Taiwan have???2 relatively modern ones,without AIP & 2 60 year old boats,which are not exactly combat fit.The Chinese are adding newer D/Es by the dozen,with vastly improved endurance & weaponry,not to mention improved ASW systems.
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