China's aircraft carriers are based on a Russian Design, with the distinctive sweeping 'ski-jump' bow. Chinese Ministry Of Defense
Forbes: Britain And China’s New Aircraft Carriers To Enter Service At Same Time
Britain’s second 72,000-ton aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, is being commissioned into the Royal Navy in Portsmouth on December 10. Meanwhile, China’s second carrier, the 55,000-ton Shandong, will likely be commissioned the same day, or soon after. The timing may be coincidental. Yet it highlights the similarities and differences between the two naval power’s carrier programs.
The date of the Royal Navy ceremony is well reported. The Chinese one however is subject to rumor and speculation. Photographs shared on social media show the ship is being prepared for a ceremony, with flags along a dressing line from bow to stern. This is a good indicator that the commissioning ceremony is imminent.
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Update: Say Hello To America’s Newest Aircraft Carrier, the USS John F. Kennedy (Popular Mechanics)
WNU Editor: I am sure the timing is coincidental. In an era where all the pundits are saying that the age of the aircraft carrier is over, they are still building and commissioning them.
1 comment:
Actually I am not aware that "all of the pundits" are saying the age of the aircraft carrier is over. While some are and have said this, this, it hardly seems to be the consensus.
US leadership tends to overestimate our abilities while underestimating those of adversaries and potential adversaries making for a very dangerous situation. This certainly has not changed. Given the inherent vulnerabilities of aircraft carriers, on several occasions I have labeled them "floating death traps" understanding that with the tendencies of American leaders to be far to Pollyannish about things very likely meant they did not fully understand the vulnerabilities of these vessels or weren't properly considering it.
Given the fact that others seem to be rushing to build them, it seems I may have been premature in my assessment that these were obsolete. Also, president Trump who is generally very astute and not given to ideology as other US leaders tend to be subject to has supported the expansion of aircraft carriers. As such, there must be some merit to them that I am missing.
On the other hand, a country like China does not have to be concerned with powers like Iran and North Korea as the United States does. As such, a Chinese aircraft carriers are very likely less vulnerable than an American aircraft carrier is. Unfortunately the tendency of US leaders to underestimate threats while over estimating our ability to deal with them seems to have not changed.
With that said it does appear that anyone who thought the age of aircraft carries was over was premature. In the case of an American aircraft carrier, I think it would be quite easy for Iranian speedboats or similar type craft to sink one. What would come after this might be a different story. We would almost certainly be in hot war with Iran after that. America's enemies seem to think that America is weak and is about to fall at any time now. Miscalculations on their part is what IMHO would be the most likely catalyst for a major military conflict in the Middle East right now.
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