China's aircraft carrier program nearing completion

[helolumpy]

Thought this might make some interesting reading for everyone...

http://www.afcea.org/signal/articles/templates/Signal_Article_Template.asp?articleid=2246&zoneid=292

 

[Flash]

Interesting, thankfully it wil take them years to create an effective carrier force and even then if it is based off Russia's program it probably won't be very effective for much more than propaganda value, though that does count for a bit.

 

[Uncle Fester]

Ding ding ding ding ding... Flash hit the nail on the head. China's doing this because an aircraft carrier makes a bitchin' flagship. "Effective tool for international power projection" is in the That'd Be Nice Too category.

Fixed-wing carrier aviation is really fucking hard. We've been doing it for 100 years and practice constantly, which is how we make it look easy. The Chinese may get this program going, but just enough to show journalists and impressionable third-world despots some Sukhois with red stars zooming off the flight deck.

 

[Fog]

The stars & planets must all be aligned: I agree w/ Flash & Fester, too. I do think the Chinese will get there faster & better than the Ruskies, but it's still a decade or two away. By then, hate to say it, aircraft carriers & manned a/c may all be substantially obsolete. JMHO, though.

 

[Shpion1]

Agree again, especially with Flash's take on propaganda. Will the Chinese really use this effectively against our forces. Highly unlikely. But, parked in the Spratlys, port visits to Africa, operating southeast of Taiwan and around Japan. Sure. And they will reap some benefits, and learn from the experience.