aircraft carrier for sale :)

These ships were designed on the principle of 'upkeep by replacement', so most of the equipment onboard was intended to be 'unplugged' or 'unbolted' and removed quickly and easily. It can be replaced without too much difficulty as well, including her engines. Her four RR Olympus Gas Turbines were removed, but then they are removed and replaced at regular intervals for servicing anyway. They weigh about 3 tonnes each and can and indeed HAVE been replaced whilst the ship is underway, in a matter of hours. The ships cruise on one engine, bringing the other three on line whenever full speed is required (eg for launching aircraft into wind) and even three engines will give close to full speed. Likewise the electronic equipment can for the most part be disconnected and removed for storage/maintenance ashore. Her type 996 radar has been removed from the mainmast but the type 1022 remains above the bridge. The three Phalanx guns have been 'unbolted' and removed, but could be reinstalled in a day if needed. The ship was decommissioned only a short while after completing a major refit so is in good material condition overall. The ancilliary equipment such as fire fighting equipment, pumps, auxillary machinery you mentioned are fairly common items throughout the fleet so those that have been removed will be reused in other ships, and likewise if the Ark was to be recommissioned other identical units can be sourced relatively easily.

'Can' is not the same as 'will' though.

Obi Wan Russell said:

These ships were designed on the principle of 'upkeep by replacement', so most of the equipment onboard was intended to be 'unplugged' or 'unbolted' and removed quickly and easily. It can be replaced without too much difficulty as well, including her engines. Her four RR Olympus Gas Turbines were removed, but then they are removed and replaced at regular intervals for servicing anyway. They weigh about 3 tonnes each and can and indeed HAVE been replaced whilst the ship is underway, in a matter of hours. The ships cruise on one engine, bringing the other three on line whenever full speed is required (eg for launching aircraft into wind) and even three engines will give close to full speed. Likewise the electronic equipment can for the most part be disconnected and removed for storage/maintenance ashore. Her type 996 radar has been removed from the mainmast but the type 1022 remains above the bridge. The three Phalanx guns have been 'unbolted' and removed, but could be reinstalled in a day if needed. The ship was decommissioned only a short while after completing a major refit so is in good material condition overall. The ancilliary equipment such as fire fighting equipment, pumps, auxillary machinery you mentioned are fairly common items throughout the fleet so those that have been removed will be reused in other ships, and likewise if the Ark was to be recommissioned other identical units can be sourced relatively easily.

'Can' is not the same as 'will' though.

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However, it is not a good idea to leave warships tied up for extended periods of time without upkeep... things can deteriorate very quickly unless ships are properly placed into storage, and maintained regularly.

Agreed, though in this case most of the equipment that has been removed has been returned to the common 'pool' from which much of the fleet draws their replacements. The engines are not just used by the Invincibles for example, and the same is true of her type 996 radar. Reactivating ships from previous generations was always difficult because in the case of steam turbine driven ships, their engines remained inside the ship for the entire length of their service, three or more decades. When they were decommissioned, stripping parts for spares often involved damage to the ship's internal structure, as holes were cut in bulkheads and walkways to remove larger items, which is the reason returning some decommissioned ships to service became prohibitively expensive (added to the fact that some of the equipment removed would be obsolete and difficult or even impossible to obtain in working order). The Invincibles (and by extension other warships built under the same design philosophy, and this by no means is limited to the RN) have been constantly updated and modernised over the years, so most of the systems onboard are common across the fleet and still in widespread use. They are also easy to reinstall if needed and don't require parts of the hull to be cut open for the purpose.

It has happened before, I should point out. In the late 90s Ark Royal was paid off into reserve at Portsmouth for the best part of five years. I saw her laid up in no.3 basin (in the same berth later occupied by Invincible until she was scrapped)and she looked very forlorn, patchy paintwork, no radars or weapons and no maintenance crew on board, just sealed entry points and dehumidifiers to keep her dry and corrosion free. She actually looked worse than Invincible did in her final days, and yet she was refitted and returned to service in better shape than before, and served for another ten years. She could have served for longer if required and still could.

I cannot really see the PLAN being tremendously interested in the Ark Royal, beyond the ability to go in and survey the Superstructure.

Ultimately, it is a small Carrier and an old one at the end of its life. Comparisons with Varyag are to my mind fanciful as that was a full sized Carrier that was left while still under construction.

China does have a couple of old Carriers used as Hotels or Casino's already. I can see the attraction, as not only is there the cache in owning some former Colonial real estate, but given the traffic congestion and space scarcity in most Chinese cities, the Flat Top makes for a perfect Car Park for the High Rollers.

Further, China as an emerging major power will not want to be seen as needing the cast off's of other powers, but will want to show off its own Shipbuilding Capabilities. Finally, do you really want to have a Capital ship where your potential adversaries know more about its design capabilities and weaknesses than you do?

I didn't think so.

I never said the Chinese were interested in her, only commenting on her current condition and future potential. Comparisons with Varyag still have validity though because Ark Royal represents more advanced warship technology overall and has been progressively updated over the years. Her Gas Turbine propulsion is a generation ahead of Varyag's Soviet era Steam Turbines for a start.

China has the former Soviet hybrid cruiser/carriers Kiev and Minsk as theme parks for tourists, not casinos, and certainly not as car parks since their decks are so crowded with (non naval) aircraft there would be nowhere to park. Varyag is a cast off from another power and they seem happy to put it forward as their most powerful fleet unit for the next few years.

Do we actually know what engines are installed on Varyag now?
Would such equipment be left on the Ark Royal and included in the Sale?

Varyag is a new build, and closer in style to the Chinese purchase of the Sovremenny's rather than say the Argentine purchase of the General Belgrano. In addition Russia is increasingly becoming a Strategic Chinese Ally, while the UK clearly is not.

The Ark Royal does of course still have a military value and maybe China would rather see it bought by themselves rather than sold to say Vietnam or the Philippines.

Obi Wan Russell said:

...and yet she was refitted and returned to service in better shape than before, and served for another ten years. She could have served for longer if required and still could.

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Any nation that could get her in working order could have a heck of an LHA type platform (less the well-deck of course-think a small USS America) for airborne assault, humanitarian relief, ASW warfare, sea control (if they had VSTOL aircraft), etc. And my guess is that they could easily get another 20 years out of her in that role.

Maybe Brazil could purchase it as a support carrier for the Clemenceau.

Miragedriver said:

Maybe Brazil could purchase it as a support carrier for the Clemenceau.

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Not likely. They barely have the money & sailors to operate the carrier they have now.

bd popeye said:

Not likely. They barely have the money & sailors to operate the carrier they have now.

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Sorry Popeye, however I must disagree with you. Brazil’s economy is actual doing very well (). Brazil currency has improved from 3 to 1 with respect to the dollar to now being 1.5 to 1. Thereby give the government a stringer currency to procure foreign purchases. Additional Brazil signed a multi-billion dollar contract with France for the construction of five Scorpène submarines and the construction of a nuclear submarine (see article and ).
Currently the new petroleum deposits, which are being exploited, and better management of the economy, have resulted in an economic boom. This has resulted in increased revenue and the military is on a new spending spree.