The Chinese are also renovating another Soviet era carrier of the same class. Maybe the two ships can have a ski jumping competition.
Actually, the Chinese aircraft carrier is a later generation. It was the former Varyag that was about 80% complete when the Soviet Union collapsed and was never complete. it is the sister ship to the Kuznetsov and is a bigger and more capable STOBAR carrier than this one.
The Indian carrier is more than a refit. it is an upgrade. The chinese carrier is an actual refit.
You can take a look at both at the following two links:
The Chinese Varyag
http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircraftcarriers/varyag.htm
The Indian Virkamaditya
http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircraftcarriers/vikram.htm
The Indian Carrier was originally a VSTOL carrier where the entire front end was devoted to offensive weapons systesm. Those have been removed and a ski jump deck added in their place to make it a STOBAR carrier that will use Mig-29K aircraft (up to about 20-24 of them)
The Chinese carrier was a large STOBAR carrier from the get go, and she has been refitted with chinese sensors, weapons systems. and new propulsion and will fly the J-15 Strike Fighter which are larger, longer range, and carry more ordinance than the Mig-29K, and which is a Chinese modernization of the Russian SU-33 (up to 30 of them)
Actually, the Chinese aircraft carrier is a later generation. It was the former Varyag that was about 80% complete when the Soviet Union collapsed and was never complete. it is the sister ship to the Kuznetsov and is a bigger and more capable STOBAR carrier than this one.
The Indian carrier is more than a refit. it is an upgrade. The chinese carrier is an actual refit.
You can take a look at both at the following two links:
The Chinese Varyag
http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircraftcarriers/varyag.htm
The Indian Virkamaditya
http://www.jeffhead.com/worldwideaircraftcarriers/vikram.htm
The Indian Carrier was originally a VSTOL carrier where the entire front end was devoted to offensive weapons systesm. Those have been removed and a ski jump deck added in their place to make it a STOBAR carrier that will use Mig-29K aircraft (up to about 20-24 of them)
The Chinese carrier was a large STOBAR carrier from the get go, and she has been refitted with chinese sensors, weapons systems. and new propulsion and will fly the J-15 Strike Fighter which are larger, longer range, and carry more ordinance than the Mig-29K, and which is a Chinese modernization of the Russian SU-33 (up to 30 of them)