CV-17 Shandong (002 carrier) Thread I ...News, Views and operations

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kwaigonegin

Colonel
I still highly doubt a launch before 2017 gets here.

Just too much work to do internally...and I have not seen a pic yet showing both elevators completely installed.

But...they are getting closer and closer for sure!

2016 probably not likely but mid 2017 launch certainly very possible if not likely..
Now commissioning obviously would be much later because of sea trials, system testing etc... as we all know.

* respond meant for Asif not Jeff ...
 
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asif iqbal

Lieutenant General
I still highly doubt a launch before 2017 gets here.

Just too much work to do internally...and I have not seen a pic yet showing both elevators completely installed.

But...they are getting closer and closer for sure!

No question there is a lot of work to be done but they could do a premature launch like India did for the sake of timescales
 

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
No question there is a lot of work to be done but they could do a premature launch like India did for the sake of timescales
India did whjat they did becaue they were so embarassingly behind that they had to show their public something...even if it was absolutely ebarassing to do. I mean they launched it with no island and half of the flight deck not even on the vessel yet.

Now, of course since then, over 18 months later, they launched it again with those things present.

But China has built their carrier very quickly and with painstaking precision. Why spoil that with a premature launch? When they launch her (and I believe like Kwaig it will be somewhere in the 2nd quarter) of next year, they will have launched a 65,000 ton new carrier from keel laying to launch in about 30 months. THAT Is impressive! Something very, very few countries could replicate.
 

kwaigonegin

Colonel
Very good points gentlemen !

Why risk a premature launch who do they need to prove to when they are doing so well

Plus it's not in line with Chinese ship building

Exactly! .. also unlike the Vik and to a certain extend the Liaoning, this vessel is the first ever operational aircraft carrier built brand new entirely from scratch by China (yes I know it's based off the kuz's design etc but that's beside the point) you can bet your last dollar they will take extreme pride in her launch and there will be much fanfare when she touches water for the first time as it should be.

I think that the 001A is what the Kuz class SHOULD have been and I'm glad someone took the design and made it into her full potential. The original Kuz class had and still has a LOT of issues. From decking issues to plumbing, to electrical/wiring problems not to mention very poor crew quarters. I'm sure those things have been mitigated and much improved in Liaoning and certainly 001A. We can tell just from some of the internal pictures we see in Liaoning.

Heck if I'm the Russian Navy I would gladly have China totally refurbished Adm. Kuznetsov for me or at least purchase the blueprints and turn it into '001A like' but of course that will never happen due to pride LOL
 

delft

Brigadier
I still highly doubt a launch before 2017 gets here.
It might depend on whether they need the dry dock for something else - the return of Liaoning for work on her bottom or the building of another ship. That other ship would not likely be a merchant vessel at the current situation in the shipping market, see Hanjin. And I don't know what naval vessel to expect, but then I'm ignorant of PLAN's plans.
But if there is no need to launch her early she will remain in the dry dock as long as that make building and equipping her easier and cheaper.
 
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