[edcoil]

Based on normal media and government - the fact is I’d say, two months.

[FerociousRabbit]

The Langley was commissioned around 1920 so I guess they are only 80 years behind us...

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

WRONG!

The Rising Sea Dragon in Asia: Varyag

[buccaneer81]

China some time away from aircraft carrier capability

Sure...just like Japan was eons away from developing modern fighter planes in 1937...

[Cacique]

If a backward country like my native Argentina can have aircraft carriers and learn to land planes on them then China can certainly do it a lot faster. Heck, Brazil has aircraft carriers in it’s navy. The only problem is support bases and rage so until China gets some of those it won’t be able to stray too far off it’s shores.

[El Sordo]

Having a major threat like this ten years away should be terrifying as it requires a decade to prepare for it.

By the time major threats are imminent, it is usually too late to do anything about it.

[central_va]

Speaking of ChiCom Military HW... Have you seen the latest ChiCom missile launcher?

[Vroomfondel]

ping

[magslinger]

SONOBUOY PING!

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[cavador]

I can't believe that china(a supposed superpower) still has no carriers.We here in Australia had our own carrier for a while.(It was accident prone!)

HMAS Melbourne started life as HMS Majestic and although she was flagship of the RAN, she never fired a shot in anger and only ever served in peripheral roles. She is, however, infamous for achieving the dubious distinction of being the only British Commonwealth naval vessel to sink two friendly warships in peacetime.

[tanknetter]

“However, acquiring or even building a carrier is not China’s real problem; their dilemma is the type of aircraft that is going to be operated from the ship,” he said. In the current scenario China was unlikely to have access to a steam catapult to launch an aircraft from the deck and its option is confined to two Russian aircraft that use short take-off and arrested recovery, he added.

While more complex and rugged than traditional "land-based" aircraft, STOBAR aircraft are easier to convert from existing designs than aircraft that need to handle BOTH arrested landings and cat-shots over the course of their lives.

It's been noted in various places that the ChiCom's J-10 has a more robust landing gear than would otherwise be expected. Churning out STOBAR J-10s is a definite possibility. Downside is that they're single-engined jets, which are less than optimal in a carrier operations situation.

[Jeff Head]

Status of all active aircraft carriers and those under construction:

WORLD-WIDE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS.COM