NAVAL AVIATION: What China is Doing with the Varyag

Strategy Page ^ | 2005 Jul 19

[Wiz]

July 19, 2005: The mystery, of what China is doing with the former Russian aircraft carrier Varyag, continues. The Chinese appear to be doing some kind of work on the Varyag, one of two Kuznetsov class that Russia began building in the 1980s. Originally they were conceived of as 90,000 ton, nuclear powered ships, similar to American carriers (complete with steam catapults). Instead, because of the cost, and the complexity of modern (American style) carriers, the Russians were forced to scale back their goals, and ended up with the 55,000 ton (full load ) ships that lacked steam catapults, and used a “ski jump” flight deck instead. Nuclear power was dropped, but the Kuznetsov class was still a formidable design. The thousand foot long carrier normally carries a dozen navalized Su-27s (called Su-33s), 14 Ka-27PL anti-submarine helicopters, two electronic warfare helicopters and two search and rescue helicopters. But the ship can carry up to 36 Su-33s and sixteen helicopters. The ship carries 2,500 tons of aviation fuel, allowing it to generate 500-1,000 aircraft and helicopter sorties. Crew size is 2,500 (or 3,000 with a full aircraft load.)

[Wiz]

ping

[Army Air Corps]

They are probably starting to apply what they learned from HMAS Melbourne. This is not a good omen...

[TomB]

The Chinese appear to be doing some kind of work on the Varyag

Painting a giant bullseye on it?

[Thud]

If we really want to be mean, we could sell them a de-militarized Enterprise. They'd go broke trying to refit it.

[yooper]

Well, it's a ship, so we can reasonably assume that they're not laying railroad track. Laundry?:)

[Wristpin]

Painting a giant bullseye on it?

Anyone notice the bombardment of these articles since another round of BRAC started up?


After reading the article, I'm hooked let's buy thousands of MMA aircraft and build a 600 ship Navy!

[Magnum44]

I would have suggested the Kennedy for the same reason. Infact they can have the Senator too.

[PAR35]

A little larger but about the same punch as a Wasp class LHD - if the LHD was a light carrier rather than what it is.

[ninonitti]

If we really want to be mean, we could sell them a de-militarized Enterprise. They'd go broke trying to refit it.

And if we really wanted to sink them we could get the French to send them the Chas DeGaulle.

[IonImplantGuru]

Kind of funky looking. Here she is getting towed through the Bosphorus, on her way from Black Sea to China.

[Enterprise]

"What China is Doing with the Varyag"

If nothing else, it will make a great artificial reef in the near future.

[paddles]

Gang: As a naval aviator and landing signals officer, take it from me: After 85 years of experience, literally as many flattops, tens of thousands of tough-stud naval (including marine) aviators and easily ten/twenty times that amount of young enlisted kids we fondly referred to as "deck apes" let these jerks bring it on. They ain't packin' the gear we do and they ain't never gonna do it.

Try your luck boys...you ain't gonna make a rat's ass with your one single flea-market, rustbucket POS.

Strong message to follow.

[norraad]

Oh.., my..., Gawd, who wouldn't just laugh uncontrollably seeing that goofy POS coming.

What a bunch of holes!

[IonImplantGuru]

Here's an SU-33 taking off from Varyag's sister ship, sans catapult.

From my carrier days (Kitty Hawk in the mid-60's), I can remember some prop jobs - 'Spads' (Douglas A-1 Skyraiders) and C1A COD planes - making unassisted t/o's, but I don't remember any jets that didn't use the cats.

What about you, Paddles?

[paddles]

None operationally.