Chinese government purchases Vargyag

I have from a reliable source that the PRC goverment has procurred the Vargyag for a reasonable sum.

It was formally going to be used as a floating casino... however the PLAN is going to be using the hull in future as a testbed for naval technologies

The ship will probably never see millitary action though

Nothing new, the sale has been talked about for years.

Interesting article regarding this:

Hostage

heh... old news... it's been moored in a dock in China for 4 years now while the original buyer worked things out with the government.

Apparently if the government did not go ahead with the deal... it would become a floating arcade/theme park/hotel etc etc

As it stands though... they seem to have finally worked out a deal, which will see the Vargyag turned into a testing and training platform.

It's cheaper to buy the old hulk than to commit a whole shipyard to construction when they can be doing more productive things than put together a hull that will never see millitary action.

Such as the new Type-52D, rumored to be the most capable DDG in Asia

Hey,

I wouldn't cut that soviet ship down as never seeing military action. The US Navy has currently one aircraft carrier that is over 42 years old, the USS Kitty Hawk, CV-63 and has been continually upgraded over its life, the latest upgrade being the RAM system. So do you think the Chinese wouldn't think twice about working on a 20 year old, never used carrier?! Thats like being offered to marry Willow or Buffy and saying NO! lol

I personally think that this will be the first operational aircraft carrier within the PLAN, I do see it being used as a training carrier early in its career, but I don't see how they couldn't use it in combat. Its the hulk, from what has been stated within some new reports, its been "plumed" for conventionally powered propulsion wise, its just short of its operating machinery.

I just can’t see the PLAN NOT using it operationally, the PLAN have the skills to add armor, power plants, defense systems, offensive systems. Its not that hard, they already employ a vast amount of soviet technology in their armed forces, their ship yards are progressing at a quite an amazing rate. The Varyag is an incomplete carrier, but it is a carrier, it's floating, its ready to be fitted, if you can train with it and still have it operational at the same time, why not use it operational!

Also, with the French pushing towards the arms ban to be lifted with china, do you think the French where sizing up the specs for the Varyag to see what they can offer to fit to the Chinese Carrier!

Lets face folks, if the Chinese don’t have second thoughts about employing Romeo class subs, even in second line duties, do you think that they couldn’t work on the Varyag, where it was combat ready?

- Phil

Links:
www.aeronautics.ru...
www.naval-technology.com...
www.kittyhawk.navy.mil...

[edit on 4-4-2005 by gooseuk]

It would take years for the PLAN to get the carrier even remotely operational. As things stand they have to write their own carrier doctrine from scratch not to mention training highly specialised members of the crew.

The carrier also doesn't come with any catapults for the aircraft launch ( as they could never get them to work properly ). I believe the Russians were experimenting with rocket assisted takeoffs.

Lets see:
We went from "reliable source says" to "heh--old news..."

Interesting. Search engines are wonderful tools and can easily verify what one says as truth or fiction.
One link here that may prove of use, and the references to articles [on the right hand side] are quite informative:
China Warships: Aircraft Carrier Pictures

BTW.....how does an aircraft carrier make into the Aircraft Projects Forum?





seekerof

[edit on 4-4-2005 by Seekerof]

The British did it in WW1 and 2, so did the Americans and the Japanese, just because it will take 5 or so years to produce a doctine does not mean they CAN'T do it.

It would take AT LEAST 5 years to fit the basic war fighting kit to the design, the chinese aren't stupid, if they put their mind to it they will have an operational carrier, and you are forgetting 5 odd years is better than 30+ years to produce their own design and then test it.

Whats wrong with the flight system on that vessel, the russians use it and can launch off aircraft successfully with the ski jump, so do the Royal navy, whats your point?

Oh and why is this in below top secret, should it not be in weaponary in above top secret?

- Phil