China's First Carrier Completes its Test

[Skyviper 1,101]

 

BEIJING — China's first aircraft carrier has successfully finished a series of tests during a training mission in the disputed South China Sea and has returned to port, state media reported.

Last month's drills off the coast of Hainan Island marked not only the first time China has sent a carrier into the South China Sea but the first time it has maneuvered with the kind of strike group of escort ships U.S. carriers deploy, according to regional military officers and analysts.

After two decades of double-digit increases in the military budget, China's admirals plan to develop a full blue-water navy capable of defending growing economic interests as well as disputed territory in the South and East China Seas.

 

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[+JonathanRL 974]

All we need now is that Carrier in SF2 so we can have some nice, big blue water navy battles and the Su-33 they have on it. 

[Nesher 628]

sounds interesting, thanks for the news!

[MAKO69 186]

The have had this thing for like 2+ years isn't it ready yet?

[+RAVEN 414]

They've been working on it for 8,000 years, what's a few more?

[irisheyes 1]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

 

Semper Fidelis

irisheyes

[JediMaster 451]

They bought the thing MANY years ago. It was obsolete when it was bought, too. No doubt they've installed new/updated systems, but the fact is the hull's older than some US carriers that have been in service for years already.

 

I don't know what kind of reliability/maintenance issues they might have with it, but I'm sure they're not trivial.

[+Typhoid 231]

Nice target

 

[+CrazyhorseB34 937]

SCRATCH ONE FLATOP!

[+Gepard 11,323]

All we need now is that Carrier in SF2 so we can have some nice, big blue water navy battles and the Su-33 they have on it. 

 

Its no Su-33. The Su-33 the russians never sold to China. Its called J-13 and it is a copy of the Su-33 airframe with chinese avionics.

Edited January 4, 2014 by Gepard

[+CrazyhorseB34 937]

You mean J-15 "Flying Shark."

[macelena 1,070]

http://exiledonline.com/war-nerd-china-joins-the-yacht-club/

 

http://exiledonline.com/the-war-nerd-this-is-how-the-carriers-will-die/

 

 

I don´t like the guy, but this is a rather interesting point of view

[+Gepard 11,323]

You mean J-15 "Flying Shark."

 

Some folks say J-13 other call it J-15. But its the same plane.

[MigBuster 2,884]

http://exiledonline.com/war-nerd-china-joins-the-yacht-club/

 

http://exiledonline.com/the-war-nerd-this-is-how-the-carriers-will-die/

 

 

I don´t like the guy, but this is a rather interesting point of view

 

Interesting - lots of differing points of views in the comments as well

[JediMaster 451]

A rose by any other designation given for funding or programmatic purposes will smell as sweet.

[+Jug 99]

The Chinese recognize the quantum leap their Navy is making from pure surface ships to aircraft carriers.  They have taken their time and its probably a good thing.

[von Baur 54]

China has the economy to keep going, like we did in the 40's, 50's, 60's and even early 70's. We couldn't possibly keep pace with them in an arms race from that standpoint. The danger isn't this one ship, or even the strikeforce that accompanies it. The danger is that we could, like the Soviet Union before us, completely bankrupt ourselves trying to keep up with them.