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To: tcrlaf; Brad from Tennessee
If the Chinese have proved anything in the last 30 years it is that they have an extraordinary ability to accelerate the learning curve.

As the age of the carrier draws to a close, its utility will be more more limited to applications of power against second-rate military powers. The real aircraft carrier will be a satellite in space. Hopefully, by the time the Chinese catch up with ocean going carriers we will have a new administration in place who extends the arms race into space.


3 posted on 09/25/2012 11:03:18 PM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat, attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: nathanbedford

China finds itself in the exact opposite position from the Russians. The Russians only had to interdict, not control our sea lanes, to win the war at sea.

To feed the Economy, China has to CONTROL the sea lanes to their resources. We only have to interdict that.

The Chinese have to make the leap from Interdiction, to control.

That is a VERY big chasm for them to get over.


7 posted on 09/25/2012 11:23:10 PM PDT by tcrlaf (Election 2012: THE RAPTURE OF THE DEMOCRATS)
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To: nathanbedford
[As the age of the carrier draws to a close, its utility will be more and more limited to applications of power against second-rate military powers.]

Though flying close air support and bombing Third World bridges wasn't the grand vision for these “floating cities” it was those missions that have kept these ships relevant. The WWII gun cruisers were so effective in Vietnam they burned out their barrels firing round the clock.

10 posted on 09/26/2012 12:15:50 AM PDT by Brad from Tennessee (A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.)
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To: nathanbedford
Hopefully, by the time the Chinese catch up with ocean going carriers we will have a new administration in place who extends the arms race into space.

I thought we had one, from 1980-1988. Whatever happened to Star Wars?

13 posted on 09/26/2012 12:57:41 AM PDT by Lexinom
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To: nathanbedford
Whoa there Cowboy! The purpose of NASA is to make mohammadens feel good about their accomplishments to modern science ( Ha, Ha, I'm killin' me here).

Isn't it much better to ride to the space station in the back of a Russian vehicle? Much cheaper.

14 posted on 09/26/2012 1:00:27 AM PDT by Eagles6 (DNC 2012 Convention: Celebrating infanticide and sodomy. Denying God.What could possibly go wrong?)
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To: nathanbedford
If the Chinese have proved anything in the last 30 years it is that they have an extraordinary ability to accelerate the learning curve.

I have to agree. Working both in competition against them, and also with them (vendors), in an industry decimated by Chinese competition, I have learned that the Chinese are NOT to be underestimated. They are not superhumans, but they are smart, hard workers, and very motivated. They can even do remarkably good quality control under the right direction / circumstances, though this is not presently the norm, of course. The most likely things that might keep them from surpassing us are: Social issues / economic mismanagement (too big an elephant to ride?), corruption, resource starvation, and too much mercury and other pollution in their environment. (Medical and clean-up cost issues.)

As the age of the carrier draws to a close, its utility will be more more limited to applications of power against second-rate military powers. The real aircraft carrier will be a satellite in space. Hopefully, by the time the Chinese catch up with ocean going carriers we will have a new administration in place who extends the arms race into space.

We actually have most of the technology needed for this:

For perspective, non-B5 fans, that baby is a mile long... It's not practical yet, but as a fellow engineer once told me "Anything can be done for enough money." (Sell California, maybe?) [/sarc]

17 posted on 09/26/2012 2:07:14 AM PDT by Paul R. (We are in a break in an Ice Age. A brief break at that...)
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To: nathanbedford
If the Chinese have proved anything in the last 30 years it is that they have an extraordinary ability to accelerate the learning curve. plagiarize.

There, all fixed.p> Agreed on your second point, though.

Cheers!

28 posted on 09/26/2012 4:23:04 AM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: nathanbedford
If the Chinese have proved anything in the last 30 years it is that they have an extraordinary ability to accelerate the learning curve. plagiarize.

There, all fixed.

Agreed on your second point, though.

Cheers!

29 posted on 09/26/2012 4:23:18 AM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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