Chinese Navy Carrier - film of first carrier landing and take off

[Tregarth]

This appeared on the BBC news website yesterday; the fact that the plane takes off using a ski jump instead of using a catapult is something to think about.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-20483716

[DigitAL]

An interesting twist on a basic concept of getting fighter planes on and off a moving boat for sure.  It wouldn't surprise me if the Big Bear is living vicariously through the Sleeping Dragon though, and that might be something to think about?

[Orion]

The ski-jump ramp isn't all that uncommon, according to this Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_deck#Ski-jump_ramp.

With the exception of the United States,France and Brazil, every navy in the world that operates STOVL naval aircraft uses ski jump ramps.

[SUBS17]

We use it all the time in FC2 with the SU33.





Its a different type of launching method as you rely on just the aircrafts thrust to get you off the deck and usually you drop quite a bit on launching in FC2 so I can imagine its a bit hairy IRL doing it this way.

[Sludge]

The ski-jump ramp isn't all that uncommon, according to this Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_deck#Ski-jump_ramp.

With the exception of the United States,France and Brazil, every navy in the world that operates STOVL naval aircraft uses ski jump ramps.

Granted, this part is true, but for what its worth ONLY the US puts STRIKE PACKAGES into the air and OPERATES in all weather and day/night ops. Maybe the Chinese can get there, maybe not. My money is NOT for anytime in the near (10 years) future because real-world ops take more than just emulating US procedures (as seen in the Y/T video, right down to the color-coded float coats of the enlisted deck crews). Still not buying into the ski-jump ramp launching operations for non-STOVL A/C, need CATs to get strike packages airborne... just my opinion.

Take this video with a grain of salt... yes, the Chinese are STARTING naval ops but that's where they are at right now. Just starting.

Later
Sludge

[Tregarth]

Sludge, certainly a catapult is one way of doing it, but the Harrier, both RN and USN, uses (used) the "ski-jump".  In the Falklands nastiness it was the only way the Harriers were launched, and they were fully loaded.

In fact there is a video of the F-35 using a ski jump on the USS Wasp.  The difference is the F-35, because of its STOVL capability has a lot more engineering (i.e weight) than the F-18 or it's Chinese equivalent.

It is interesting that the Chinese use coloured shirts (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery).  Granted the film clip is a great propaganda boost but I think the Chinese are a lot closer to being a fully operational force than many would like to admit.

Cheers,

Tregarth

[SpazSinbad]

Tregarth, USS Wasp does not have a ski jump but successfully hosted the initial F-35B trials in Oct 2011 - more trials are scheduled for 2013. The UK CVF x 2 being built now will have a ski jump and it will enable the F-35B to launch with less deck run compared to the flat deck USMC. It seems both services will be able to launch with full internal load (PLUS whatever else according to WOD / Temp and other factors) according to the required Key Performance Parameters (KPPs - 600 feet LHA run / 450+ feet for CVF Ski Jump (not decided due to slight change to USMC KPP from 550 to 600 feet). It is likely that the F-35B will launch via the ski jump at Patuxent River soon if it has not done so already (I would guess it will be news when it does ski jump) for testing the STO parameters required for CVF use.

[SUBS17]

Sludge, certainly a catapult is one way of doing it, but the Harrier, both RN and USN, uses (used) the "ski-jump".  In the Falklands nastiness it was the only way the Harriers were launched, and they were fully loaded.

In fact there is a video of the F-35 using a ski jump on the USS Wasp.  The difference is the F-35, because of its STOVL capability has a lot more engineering (i.e weight) than the F-18 or it's Chinese equivalent.

It is interesting that the Chinese use coloured shirts (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery).  Granted the film clip is a great propaganda boost but I think the Chinese are a lot closer to being a fully operational force than many would like to admit.

Cheers,

Tregarth

The US offered the Brits a carrier with steam catapults but they turnned it down. IMO it would have changed the war dramatically as an E2C would have been the best answer to all these incoming flights to setup good intercepts. Thats the advantage of a decent carrier with catapults is not only the strike aircraft but also the support aircraft which give you better and constant round the clock coverage of the area. IMO putting a radar on a Seaking and using that as an AWACs is not a smart idea.