China’s Aircraft Carrier Could Be a Ticking Steam Bomb

War is Boring ^ | February 12, 2014 | David Axe

[C19fan]

India’s refurbished Soviet-made aircraft carrier Vikramaditya suffered a boiler failure during her 42-day trip from Russia’s Sevmash shipyard, where she was rebuilt, to the Indian Karwar naval base on the country’s west coast starting in late November.

Like many Cold War-era warships, Vikramaditya is powered by complex steam boilers that can be unreliable and even dangerous. The Indian flattop had suffered an earlier boiler problem in 2012 during sea trials off the Russian coast—the ceramic insulating tiles failed, causing a boiler to overheat and shut down.

[SampleMan]

Wishful thinking on somebody's part. It might be big and gray and get underway, but, seriously, a rival to a US carrier ?

During the 1920s and 1930s, American's joked about Japanese military capabilities. Their aircraft were thought to be junk, their rifles pee-shooters, and their battleships a big joke built like pagodas.

No, China's one aircraft carrier isn't a big threat, but I look on it as their USS Langley. China needs aircraft carriers if it is going to be in charge of its own energy, because it must control the Indian Ocean and South China Sea. A fleet of carriers also puts all of SE Asia on notice. Which SE Asian country could fight off 3-4 carrier strike group, carrying 150 modern fighter-attack aircraft?

If the U.S. were smart, we would be looking at a better relationship with India.

[ontap]

I have visited her on numerous occasions!!

[Last Dakotan]

Happens everywhere.

I know a guy who was aboard when this happened.

http://articles.dailypress.com/1994-03-12/news/9403120044_1_carrier-crew-boiler-crewmen

[DCBryan1]

complete junk

There are three (3) things that are absolutely the best in the world in their class that are Russian:

1) AK47 and its variants (Even the RPD/RPK/DshK are awesome)
) Vodka
3) Russian diesel sub batteries. Those things hold a charge in -50F weather up to 120F. They are bullet proof. Too bad they are the size of a Lada. Not very manportable. If I were to ever do solar/off grid or grid-tied system, I would ONLY have the Russian diesel sub batteries. (and a full bunker built in case of explosion and a decon kit).

[staytrue]

“Shocking.....the Soviets didn’t steal our boiler making technology???”

I think the Commie Chinese got them from Clinton in exchange for campaign money.

[X Fretensis]

Also some of the largest steam reciprocating main engines in the world