China's first aircraft carrier is pre-owned, refurbished

Liberal_in_LA

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Wed Aug-10-11 04:00 PM
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China's first aircraft carrier is pre-owned, refurbished

The 300m (990ft) carrier has been one of China's worst-kept secrets, analysts say

The Chinese navy's first aircraft carrier has begun its sea trials, the state-run Xinhua news agency has said.

It quoted military sources as saying that the refitted former Soviet warship left its shipyard in the north-east and the trial "would not take a long time".

The move is likely to raise fresh concerns over China's rapid military build-up.

Beijing is currently involved in several maritime territorial disputes, particularly in the South China Sea.

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WCGreen

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Wed Aug-10-11 04:02 PM
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1. The US has 11 right now and two more in the works...

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FarCenter

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Wed Aug-10-11 04:08 PM
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2. It's mostly ornamental

They will use it to "show the flag", sail it around to various ports and wow the crowds.

Without a fleet of escort ships like Aegis crusiers, destroyer, submarines, etc., it is militarily useless.

Unless you can find some defenseless third-world country on a coast that you can bomb.

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jmowreader

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Wed Aug-10-11 04:09 PM
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3. Why this carrier looks like a ski jump

The Soviets had a hell of a time figuring out how to build catapults, like our carriers have. They came up with this goofy-looking "ski jump" thing instead. There's a ramp on the front of the ship, and they operate the most powerful fighters they have off it.

BTW, this thing was purchased from the Russians by a group that claimed to be a Chinese travel agency, who said they were going to turn it into a hotel. Then the first thing they did when they got it back to China is coat it with barrels of Chinese Navy Gray paint. Hmmm...

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JHB

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Wed Aug-10-11 04:17 PM
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4. A lot of non-US carriers have/had the "ski jump"

For example, the H.M.S. Invincible and sister ships:

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sfpcjock

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Wed Aug-10-11 04:38 PM
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5. I'm sure they want to go cruise Taiwan in their Hundai. n/t

Edited on Wed Aug-10-11 04:38 PM by sfpcjock

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Manifestor_of_Light

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Wed Aug-10-11 04:50 PM
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6. It needs a pair of fuzzy dice and some flame decals.

Damn, they could make that ski jump an amusement park!!

:evilgrin:

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