China launches first aircraft carrier on maiden sea trial

If they get offensive with that new carrier,we'll send The Flying Tigers after them.

Nothing to get excited about. Look at the up-turned deck. It is just a floating skateboard park. In fact, they are getting ready to host the All-Asian-Hot-Shot-Original tournament on it's deck. The winner of the AAH-SO tournament will have the right to name the carrier. So far, the favorite to win AAH-SO is said to favor the name PEGGY.

Well oh well
She is a refurbished Soviet ship, over a 100 ft Spater than the US, slant deck which kinda limit type of A/C used.
Since it is a Soviet ship, I can just imagine that the screws she has would probally make so much noise that the would be detected 1/2 way around the world like most Soviet equipment. It will be interesting to see it when it is totaly completed w/ all ger radars, countermeasures, ASM, Anti Aircraf defenses etc. guess we will see

Oh one more thing C. Wesly

Love it Chinese Military Ship> CMS PEGGY

LOL

Having one and operating one are different commodities.

I would expect were access granted a lot of entertaining YouTube videos could be made on the up slope of the learning curve.

This should be taken seriously. This is just the begining. China spends more and more money on their armed forces each year. Just because this is a Russian refurb, does not mean that it does not pose any threat. This is their guinea pig and they will learn very fast. Don't think for one second that they are not in the process of designing their own carrier from what they have learnt from the Russian one they have. They will use this as a test bed, they will learn all about carrier operations and their naval fleet will grow as it is doing already. Given the long running dispute concerning Taiwan and now the oil/gas deposits under the East China Sea, an aircraft carrier will come in handy. This is why they are developing their Navy, in order to extend their military reach. Laugh all you want, but never ever underestimate your enemy.

Never underestimate a determined opponent. Not that China is threatening us, but some of the comments here reek of arrogance. Look where that got us in years gone by...

The United States spends over 15 times as much as China on our Defence. I'm not worried about their 1980's Soviet boat.

@Matt Comerford. That's the exact behavior I'm talking about. The United States also spent and spends many times more than the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, the Somali militants and the North Vietnamese Army put together. Again, look where underestimating an opponent got us...it's not unpatriotic to not underestimate an opponent sir.

Maybe when they get capable, they can build our aircraft carriers, they build everything else for us. Our next move is to out source our military.
Not LOL

Folks, I have been to China 12 times in the past 15 years. I have traveled extensively throughout the country and have come to know the people. They are NOT our enemy. In fact, they will be the first to tell you that we are their true friends. They are becoming a westernized country by the day and walking about in towns like Yangshuo will give you the impression that you are in the United States. They truly pose no threat to us. Don't fall for the monolithic Communist nonsense. In fact, they are less and less adherents to communism on a daily basis.

Not that I expect anyone to believe me, but, if you really want to know the country and the people, load up www.exodus.co.uk and book yourself a trip. This is a British travel company and one of the best that I have found. The trips are relatively inexpensive and will give you a big introduction to mainland China.

Oh, and on my most recent trip, last March, I had the chance to meet and dine with a group of graduate students in international relations from Beijing University. I posed the question, "do you foresee a war between the US and China." The overwhelming response was NO, but they also said that they were worried about a war with North Korea. They admitted that their government had made a mistake in supporting "that madman" in the past and were now seen as tied to him. They expect their government to extract themselves from that tie-in, before it is too late.

Over 15 times as much?? I don't think so.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/spending.htm

You are right, Alistair. In 2010, the US spent $698.1 Billion, and China spent $114 Billion. We spent just over 6 times as much. China, has 4.5 million men and women serving in the military, whereas the US has just 3.05 million, of which 1.58 million are on active duty.

And guess what C. Wesley Grady, the 114 blillion that China spends gets them far more planes, far more vessels, far more rockets and far more everything than the U.S. gets for 6 times as much money. Why?. Very simple, the shipyards, aircraft and missile manufacturing plants, etc. in China are owned by the government so they don't have their own versions of the Lockheeds, Boeings, Grummans, General Dynamics, etc. who charge and overcharge and over-over-over-charge their Government for every toothpick they use after 500 dollar breakfasts, 5,000 dollar lunches and 50,000 dollar junkets to favorite spas and resorts for their congressmen, not to mention BILLION DOLLAR OVERRUNS in everything that they make. Scary, insn´t it.

I am not sure that anyone outright said, "the Chinese are our enemy". Many of the comments here seem to be poking fun at the Chinese for their first attempt of having a carrier. There may be many reasons for poking fun at them, but i would rather take it seriously. When i said, "don't underestimate your enemy", i used it a bit loosely. What i was trying to drive home was, just because the carrier is a refurb and the Chinese don't have any experience with carrier operations, don't underestimate them and think that they can not match up to the best Naval forces around. As we have done so many times in the past, we think we are far superior just because we are a western society. of course, we have been learnt the reality the hard way. No, i would not consider the Chinese people an enemy either. The average, everyday Chinese person who is merely trying to get by and be happy, is no threat to me whatsoever. If anyone wants to concern themselves with anything, concern yourselves with the Chinese government and what intentions they may have. Asking a bunch of Graduate students if they think there may be war, is like asking the same question to the magic 8 ball. The ideology of the average Chinese person, is certainly not aligned with the ideology that is possesed by the military top brass or top government officials. When your closest would be enemies are Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines - perhaps a few more... then a carrier is a big deterent. Therefore, many of these countries will think twice about staking absolute claim on the energy resources in the East China Sea. Having a carrier will further extend China's military capability in the sea and to other countries around them. Therefore, i would not brush this off as a minor acquisition by the Chinese Navy.

Well, China has all of our money so they are finding ways to spend it. I read an article in which the Chinese military has been campaigning for more money and, like we do, they have to have an "enemy" to justify the money. Between Taiwan and us, they do make arguments and they are expanding spending on there military. I think they are looking at buying another Russian incomplete aircraft carrier (where this one came from).

Our debt at the present time is $14.3 Trillion. One trillion is owed to China, $850 Million is owed to Japan and $500 Million to Great Britain. Hardly "All of our money".

I was using the "all of our money"in the sense that many things we buy as individuals are made in China. The debt issue is not directly related to how much of our US dollars go to China. The 1 trillion we owe China is that they had so much of our US dollars to lend. The trade imbalance is more of the key indicator. One of the major items we sell of high value is Boeing airliners to China. Still the trade imbalance exists in favor of China.

Funny enough, the US Government owes nearly 43% of its debt to you, the US Citizen - and institutions.