HMS Invincible played a key role in the Falklands war.
Photo: AFP
Entrepreneur Lam Kin-bong says it will cost £11 million to buy the Invincible, tow it to China and convert it into a school.
Photo: EPA
Posted on 01/07/2011 12:11:39 AM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Former HK chef in bold bid for British aircraft carrier
Warship wanted as floating international school in Zhuhai
Niall Fraser, Greg Torode and Minnie Chan
Updated on Jan 07, 2011
A UK-based Hong Kong businessman has made an audacious bid to buy one of Britain's most famous aircraft carriers - HMS Invincible - which he plans to tow to China and convert into an international school. Chef-turned-entrepreneur Lam Kin-bong, who is also a Zhuhai lawmaker, has offered £5 million (HK$60 million) for the 30-year-old, 200-metre long carrier, which is being sold in an internet auction by Britain's Ministry of Defence through the UK government's Disposal Services Authority.
The Invincible - which played a key role in Britain's war against Argentina over the Falkland Islands in 1982 - is being sold off as part of the UK's military restructuring plans and comes at a time when China is known to be working towards building its first aircraft carrier.
However, Zhuhai-born Lam, 48, who runs a chain of Chinese restaurants in the West Midlands of England, says the purchase - done through his Zhuhai-based company Sunway Yacht Limited - is purely commercial.
Military analysts are scrutinising the deal but say the stripped-out hulk of the Invincible would be of little value to China's advancing carrier programme.
If he wins the auction, for which bids closed on Wednesday, Lam says he wants to tow the vessel to Zhuhai and berth it at a marina he is
(Excerpt) Read more at scmp.com ...
HMS Invincible played a key role in the Falklands war.
Photo: AFP
Entrepreneur Lam Kin-bong says it will cost £11 million to buy the Invincible, tow it to China and convert it into a school.
Photo: EPA
Gee, let me guess how this will work. He’ll buy it, start towing it to HK, his company will go bankrupt of just happen to be purchased by another company that just happens to have ties with the PLA.
Instead of landing in HK, it will show up at the Dailan Naval Shipyards.
I guess the “floating casino” scam wouldn’t work again.
Better idea: Put it off New York City as a floating GUN RANGE!
Chopper picks shooters up, flies them out to international waters, do some shooting, lunch at snack bar, and then back.
Good investment.
A Chinese “chef” not “chief” buys the British Navy ???
What does that tell you about Britain ???
VARYAG TRANSFORMATION INTO AN OPERATIONAL PLAN AIRCRAFT CARRIER
The Brits are fools if they really believe this. The ChiComs are looking for short cuts, and a stripped down hulk will do just fine for them.
Exactly. Just reading the signs on the bulkheads, figuring out what went where and how they all worked together will teach them a lot.
Besides, they are only paying scrap prices anyhow and the steel and piping will be useful. There must be several hundred tons of copper at least.
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