Chinese carrier spotted by satellite.

[JonAsad]

Here's the source-

Photos Show China’s Carrier Steaming Under Own Power

Here’s something we haven’t seen before. China’s first aircraft carrier, the ex-Soviet Varyag, steaming under its own power in the open seas. This satellite photo was taken by the group Digital Globe during the ship’s nearly two week-long cruise that ended last weekend.
This is a pretty significant development. until now, we’ve only seen her moving under the accompaniment of tugs. If all went well during this recent trip, I’d expect to see the Chinese conduct limited flight tests from her decks on one of her upcoming cruises. Heck, we’ve already seen a Z-8 chopper operating from ex-Varyag’s deck while she sat in port.
Lcick throuhg the jump to read an exerpt fomr Naval War College professor Andrew Erickson’s report on what shipboard tech PLAN officials were likely testing during the cruise.
From Erickson’s report titled Beijing’s Starter Carrier and Future Steps:
Ex-Var yag is currently undergoing a series of predelivery tests and modifications by Dalian Naval Shipyard and the Chinese defense industry, including trials in a rectangular area off Dalian, within China’s territorial waters.
This has been an incremental process.
First, under PLAN supervision, the shipyard checked all major systems and equipment (main propulsion, auxiliary, damage control, deck, electrical, interior environmental safety protection, navigation, and spares) to ensure that the carrier’s hardware met contract requirements for sea trials. Testing of the engines, for instance, explained the appearance of smoke at the pier. Then, several days before the first sea trials, design and construction teams continued to work while PLAN personnel rehearsed the task of getting the ship under way as realistically as possible and made preparations.
The PLAN is apparently satisfied now with the quality of the ship’s refurbishment; China’s defense industry and its oversight organizations have been restructured to address previous concerns about inadequacies in development and production of military systems. Following completion of the test and trial program, there will be a ceremony to name the vessel, and it will be commissioned and accepted into PLAN service. The crew members can then leave the auxiliary vessel (hull number 88), currently being used to house them and to serve as a base for their training, and take up residence on board the carrier itself.


Read more: http://defensetech.org/2011/12/14/s...rrier-steaming-under-own-power/#ixzz1gaHxdNJE
Defense.org

 

[Zarvan]

Picture of China's first refitted warship 'emerges'

The 300m (990ft) carrier began its sea trials in August
A commercial US satellite company says it has managed to take a picture of China's first aircraft carrier during its sea trials in the Yellow Sea.

If confirmed, it would be the first known photo of the former Soviet vessel recently refitted by Beijing.

The warship began its sea trials in August, raising fresh concerns over Beijing's military build-up.

China is currently involved in several maritime territorial disputes, particularly in the South China Sea.

Stephen Wood, director of DigitalGlobe's analysis centre, said the vessel had been photographed on 8 December off the Chinese coast by one of the company's orbiting satellites, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Mr Wood added that he was confident it was the Chinese carrier because of the location and date of the photo.

China - which says the carrier is intended for research and training - has so far not publicly commented on the claim.

Maritime disputes

The vessel began the trials in August at Dalian, a port in the north-eastern province of Liaoning, Chinese state media reported at the time.

Although China is believed to be years away from being able to deploy the carrier as a powerful warship, the move has raised regional concerns, analysts say.

In the past year alone, China has had maritime disputes with Japan, Vietnam and also the Philippines.

The carrier is a former Soviet warship - called the Varyag - that was never completed. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, its rusting hull sat in dockyards in Ukraine.

As other Soviet warships were cut up for scrap, a Chinese company with links to China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) bought the Varyag, claiming originally that it would be turned into a floating casino.

It took several years to tow it to China, where it was taken to Dalian.

In June, the PLA confirmed that China's first aircraft carrier was under construction.

 

[lcloo]

Disclosure of this picture could be a wake up call for China to further develop their anti-satellite weapons. They may devise new satellite tracking sensor and ASAT missiles/laser on future destroyers escorting aircraft carriers.

 

[Zabaniyah]

wtf are you talking about? trying to threaten me or something? today world is absolute different with the ww2, if you think you could sink the japs ac then Chinese can do the same to both of YOU and japanese ones! of course despite the high tech weapons in modern warfare! that's why I was referring about the Chinese anti satellites equipments! Do you understand what that F mean!?

Learn to be humble american, you r too confident about your might!

The Japanese lost the Pacific battle. Seeing the USN now, it doesn't take a genius to see the power of the USN.

 

[Sin Pateh]

The Japanese lost the Pacific battle. Seeing the USN now, it doesn't take a genius to see the power of the USN.

okay, that guy was trying to blackmail me that if they could sink the japs ac in ww2 then they can do the same to the Chinese in modern warfare! and in that reply above I just reminded him the PLAN is not in the same stage as it was in the old age, american have great satellites but China also having many approaches to face the challenges! sinking down the ww2 ac is not mean you can repeat that achievement to the modern PLAN in 2011; yes, I was talking about the weapon technologies! does america gonna use tornado made in ww2 to sink the modern Chinese AC? so what is the point here!? you got it?

 

[Zabaniyah]

okay, that guy was trying to blackmail me that if they could sink the japs ac in ww2 then they can do the same to the Chinese in modern warfare! and in that reply above I just reminded him the PLAN is not in the same stage as it was in the old age, american have great satellites but China also having many approaches to face the challenges! sinking down the ww2 ac is not mean you can repeat that achievement to the modern PLAN in 2011; yes, I was talking about the weapon technologies! does america gonna use tornado made in ww2 to sink the modern Chinese AC? so what is the point here!? you got it?

And what are these approaches?

Can they block an American satellite taking the picture of the AC?

Not trolling or anything, but it is just that the PLA are far behind the US. According to one PLA general, China is technologically 20 years behind the US.
http://defensetech.org/2011/06/08/chinas-military-tech-20-years-behind-u-s/

And would remain that way as long as the US is around.

 

[Sin Pateh]

And what are these approaches?

Can they block an American satellite taking the picture of the AC?

Not trolling or anything, but it is just that the PLA are far behind the US. According to one PLA general, China is technologically 20 years behind the US.
http://defensetech.org/2011/06/08/chinas-military-tech-20-years-behind-u-s/

And would remain that way as long as the US is around.

....and did I say anything flatter the Chinese might above? comprehension problem, don't you?

well, sometime being neutral is good but too much will make the opposite result!

 

[no_name]

If a US commercial sattelite can track the Chinese AC, then the US military sattelites can easily guide a ballistic missile to the AC.

The tracking will needs to be done real time, not through sifting some pics hours later.

 

[gambit]

The tracking will needs to be done real time, not through sifting some pics hours later.

It is. How much do you want to bet that there is a US sub lurking somewhere with its skipper and firing crew salivating?

 

[LetsGetRowdy]

It is. How much do you want to bet that there is a US sub lurking somewhere with its skipper and firing crew salivating?

how about your green card?

 

[gambit]

how about your green card?

Do not have one. You?

 

[gambit]

And what are these approaches?

Can they block an American satellite taking the picture of the AC?

No.

Not trolling or anything, but it is just that the PLA are far behind the US. According to one PLA general, China is technologically 20 years behind the US.
http://defensetech.org/2011/06/08/chinas-military-tech-20-years-behind-u-s/

And would remain that way as long as the US is around.

The general is being generous. It should be more like 30 yrs. You must understand that a military is inherently a conservative creature. Whatever technology it uses, that technology must be proven over at least 5 yrs in civilian application. It is very simple: The military is about the defense of the nation, it cannot afford to have unreliable APPLIED technology when it may needed it most.

 

[Sin Pateh]

No.


The general is being generous. It should be more like 30 yrs. You must understand that a military is inherently a conservative creature. Whatever technology it uses, that technology must be proven over at least 5 yrs in civilian application. It is very simple: The military is about the defense of the nation, it cannot afford to have unreliable APPLIED technology when it may needed it most.

Just like 30 years ago nobody never had a though that the U.S will leave vietnam and the puppet so called "republic of south vietnam" will be disappeared in World political map!

Also japan empire at its golden age never had a though of given up to anybody after being knocked out!

Mongol and USSR once almost dominated the whole World and never had a though of being disintegrated to pieces!

USA with its 300 years old never had a though of being broken down until today!

Of course sour grape losers here will brag China in and blame China will be the same, but they forget that the darkness age of China has gone and these people already taste the bitter of their lost! They are now LEARNING and IMPROVING! Not MASTURBATING like someone above!

I wish gambit will be the USA president in the future!

 

[gubbi]

The tracking will needs to be done real time, not through sifting some pics hours later.

The pics were taken by a company operating commercial satellite. Military satellite pics/data are obviously off limits, so are their technologies. Considering a commercial company can take such high resolution pics, its anyone's guess how much real-time tracking some capable countries had done of ex-Varyag's maiden voyage.

 

[Huan]

congrats to our chinese brothers on launching the first of many... These will bring peace to our neighbourhood.

Congratz as well. =D