[Yo-Yo]

Some operational questions:

The Russians, the Indians, and now the Chineese are using SU-33s for their carrier operations. I understand that the aircraft, like the F-15 and F-16, has a greater than 1 to 1 thrust ratio, hence the ski ramp and lack of catapult gear.

Landings are arrested, I presume? If so, does that mean that due to the lack of an angled deck that bolters go along the length of the flight deck and back off the ski ramp again?

Does that also mean that fewer aircraft can be carried aboard because the entire length of the flight deck must be cleared of parked aircraft to accomodate bolters?

[Jeff Head]

The do arrested landings, but they come in on an angled deck. Here is a picture of the sister ship of the Varyag, the Kuznetsov, which is operational with the russian Navy.

There are fewer aircraft than the US Navy because the vessel is smaller, and because there were provisions for large anti-surface missile launchers forward on the deck which bit into available hangar space.

BTW, the Indians will not be using SU-33s. They have elected to go with a navalized version of the Mig-29 for both the rework on the former Russian carrier they are receiving and on the indigenous carrier that they are now building.

[WLR]

CONCLUSIONS

What it really means is the Chinese want an Aircraft Carrier on the cheap and to keep the US Comitted to maintaining ours.

Aircraft Carriers in subnational conflicts are great..

Soon they will be exposed as being totally vulnerable to Nation State Attack. They are expensive and outdated by modern Anti Ship Missiles which even non nuclear can saturate any anti missile defense system.

Large Capital Ships soon will be out of date. Dinosaurs waiting to die en masse.


W

[Oztrich Boy]

Landings are arrested, I presume? If so, does that mean that due to the lack of an angled deck that bolters go along the length of the flight deck and back off the ski ramp again?

Yes arrested, but there is an angled deck

Russian Kuznetsov

[Tommyjo]

The Indians Navy will be using the MiG-29K. They don't operate any Su-33s. China hasn't got any Su-33s as of yet.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Ski-jumps mean a smaller payload & range.Most Russian origin carriers always carry a smaller number of aircraft(in hangars & on deck) compared to similar American ships.