Posted on 08/12/2013 7:27:52 AM PDT by James C. Bennett
BEIJING: The launch of INS Vikrant has raised hackles in China, with Chinese defence experts saying the aircraft carrier would have great significance for India as it would allow the Indian Navy to wade into the Pacific Ocean - which Beijing considers as its backyard.
"This bears great significance to Indian Navy. It makes India only the fifth country after the US, Russia, Britain and France to have such capabilities," senior captain Zhang Junshe, vice-president of China's Naval Research Institute, told the state-run CCTV on Monday.
The Indian Navy will have lead over China as it will have two aircraft carriers by the end of this year with INS Vikramaditya, the refitted carrier from Russia joining INS Viraat, which is already in service even though Vikrant was expected to be operational by 2018, he said.
"Which means by the end of this year India will become the only country in Asia to have two aircraft carriers. This will enhance the overall capabilities especially the power projection capabilities of the Indian Navy," Zhang said.
Ruling out any race for more carriers in the region, Zhang defended India and China having more carriers since they have vast coasts and huge populations and the importance of defending the sea lanes far from home due to dependence on external trade.
Last year China has launched its first aircraft carrier, Lioning. Its hull was imported from Ukraine and refurbished in China.
China also subsequently launched J-15 aircraft to operate from its deck. The ship with over 50,000 tonnes displacement will have about 30 aircraft on its deck.
China is reportedly building two more aircraft carriers but their schedules are not known yet.
Zhang earlier told the state-run China Daily that with Vikrant, the Indian Navy will be more capable of patrolling distant oceans.
"India's first self-made carrier, along with reinforced naval strength, will further disrupt the military balance in South Asia," he said.
India is very likely to quicken its pace to steer eastward to the Pacific, where the US and China are competing to dominate.
The launch of the Vikrant as well as the first nuclear submarine Arihant also aroused the curiosity and concerns among analysts from different state-run thinktanks in China.
"The new indigenous carrier will further strengthen India's naval power and also add some bargaining chips with the world's major military vendors such as Russia," Wang Daguang, a researcher of military equipment based in Beijing said.
Song Xiaojun, a military commentator in Beijing, said the Vikrant uses technology from the 1980s and thus serves as an experiment for the Indian Navy to set technical standards for future vessels.
The US is competing to dominate in the Pacific?
Not with Obama at the helm.
India also has a much longer track record of using carriers. They have the edge in experience.
[”India’s first self-made carrier, along with reinforced naval strength, will further disrupt the military balance in South Asia,” he said. ]
Boo Hoo. Welcome to the party, pal.
Glad to see someone taking the load off the US Navy.
Perhaps, Japan should rebuild its carrier fleet.
The Indian National Oil Company has a contract with Vietnam for exploratory drilling in the vicinity of a group of barely-awash islands that are also claimed by China. A carrier on station says a lot more than a frigate or two, which is the current ante between China and the Philippines in their disagreement over oil rights.
Not sure how Britain got on the list. They technically have one carrier (Illustrious), but no fixed wing aircraft to fly off it. The QEs are still a ways off.
There is a thread elsewhere on FR showing the launch of the latest Japanese "destroyer." That destroyer is 800+ feet long and has a full length flight deck and control tower.
LOL. You can see their old carrier fleet at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
| INS Viraat (R22) | USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) | |
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| Class & type: | Centaur-class aircraft carrier | Nimitz-class aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan subclass |
| Displacement: | 23,900 tons standard | 101,400 long tons (113,600 short tons)[1] |
| Length: | 226.5 m (743 ft) | Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m) |
| Beam: | 48.78 m (160.0 ft) | Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m) |
| Draught: | 8.8 m (29 ft) | Maximum navigational: 37 ft (11.3 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 x Parsons geared steam turbines; 4 boilers with 400 psi, 76,000 shp | 2 × Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors |
| Speed: | 28 knots (52 km/h) | 30+ knots (56+ km/h; 35+ mph) |
| Range: | 6,500 mi (10,500 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h) | Unlimited distance; 20-25 years |
| Complement: | Maximum 2,100; | Ship's company: 3,200 |
| Aircraft carried: | Up to 30 aircraft, including British Aerospace Sea HarrierFRS51, Westland Sea King Mk.42B-C, Westland Sea King Mk.42B-C, HAL Chetak, HAL Dhruv | 90 fixed wing and helicopters |
Obummer wants the USA to have a fleet of Rubber Duckies.
Yes, Obama doesn’t understand what the role of the Navy is. This was clear in the debates. Navies dominate in peace, Air Power dominates in War.
TEN U.S. aircraft carriers of all classes were lost during WWII, including four fleet carriers: CV-2 Lexington, CV-5 Yorktown, CV-7 Wasp and CV-8 Hornet. The old Japanese carrier fleet has plenty of company down there.
Here is a picture of the last Canadian aircraft carrier, the HMCS Bonaventure, scrapped in 1970 after a multi-million dollar refit, and the proposed MC/CM CAF/FAC Rocky Waterhole/Pierre Trudeau (option to purchase from the USN).
You will note several differences in the names/designations of the ships. Being a bilingual country, all things governmental and military need to be in both official languages hence, Rocky Waterhole/Pierre Trudeau. As it was during Trudeau's tenure in federal politics that the Royal Canadian Navy ceased to exist, instead becoming the Maritime Command of the unified Canadian Armed Forces, the ship's designation will change from HMCS to MC/CM CAF/FAC , honouring Mr. Trudeau, a leader of the same calibre as Mr. Obama.
US carriers are unique in that they’re designed to operate (with their strike groups) as largely autonomous units tasked with projecting power on the other side of the planet.
Indias carriers are meant to deter regional threats (like Pakistan) and counter Chinese ambitions in mutual areas on interest. Smaller carriers make sense.
Japan has 4 helicopter carriers. They could be modified to handle Harrier-type aircraft.
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