Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
- 8,994
Short History of a Long Ship...
On August 10, 2011, the first aircraft carrier of the Chinese People's Navy "Liaoning" left for its first sea trials...:
It is actually the carrier "Varjag" ("Varangian") of the Ukrainian Navy (Admiral Kuznetsov class) which was laid down in 1985 for the Soviet Navy under the name "Riga".
The Ukraine, which received the carrier from the Soviet bankruptcy estate, decided against the prefabricated construction for cost reasons - the Hulk rotted away at the pier in Sebastopol...:
The Ukrainians then auctioned "Varyag" to the highest bidder, the buyer for $20 million was a Chinese casino owner from Macau who pretended to want to turn it into a hotel ship.
The next pictures show “Varyag” being towed to Macao in the Bosphorus…:
However, said "Chinese casino owner from Macao" was obviously a straw man - and so the porter did not end up in Macao, but in the possession of the Chinese People's Navy - and was towed to an equipment yard in Dalian...:
It is assumed that the carrier will be equipped with 20 Shenyang J-15 fighters...
... ... a Chinese development of the Soviet Sukhoi Su-33) and 20 helicopters...:
On September 25, 2012, the aircraft carrier was officially commissioned by the Chinese Navy under the new name "Liaoning"...:
An intensive year-long exercise program followed...:
In the meantime, the carrier is apparently ready for action - at least it is the core of the Chinese People's Navy during the current Taiwan crisis...:
On August 10, 2011, the first aircraft carrier of the Chinese People's Navy "Liaoning" left for its first sea trials...:
It is actually the carrier "Varjag" ("Varangian") of the Ukrainian Navy (Admiral Kuznetsov class) which was laid down in 1985 for the Soviet Navy under the name "Riga".
The Ukraine, which received the carrier from the Soviet bankruptcy estate, decided against the prefabricated construction for cost reasons - the Hulk rotted away at the pier in Sebastopol...:
The Ukrainians then auctioned "Varyag" to the highest bidder, the buyer for $20 million was a Chinese casino owner from Macau who pretended to want to turn it into a hotel ship.
The next pictures show “Varyag” being towed to Macao in the Bosphorus…:
However, said "Chinese casino owner from Macao" was obviously a straw man - and so the porter did not end up in Macao, but in the possession of the Chinese People's Navy - and was towed to an equipment yard in Dalian...:
It is assumed that the carrier will be equipped with 20 Shenyang J-15 fighters...
... ... a Chinese development of the Soviet Sukhoi Su-33) and 20 helicopters...:
On September 25, 2012, the aircraft carrier was officially commissioned by the Chinese Navy under the new name "Liaoning"...:
An intensive year-long exercise program followed...:
In the meantime, the carrier is apparently ready for action - at least it is the core of the Chinese People's Navy during the current Taiwan crisis...:
