Quote of the day: China's "new" carrier
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 at 1:27PM 
FT story on Chinese navy trotting out used Ukrainian carrier that it is using to train its personnel for the ultimately home-built carrier it should possess near the end of the decade. China also practiced outfitting a carrier here because it bought the hull from Ukraine in 1998 unfinished (meaning they've been at it 12 years on some level).
Carrier is named Shi Lang, for a 17th century admiral who conquered Taiwan - get it?
The quote from a non-Chinese naval officer:
Owning a carrier is one thing, operating one, or even a carrier strike group, is something completely different.
By the time China can operate a carrier strike group, the US should have left that field and moved onto something far more flexible, fungible and unmanned in execution.
Or we can hang around the 20th century while China plays catch-up.
Reader Comments (1)
As Monty Python used to say "And now for something completely different."
I am no global strategist, nor am I a military expert. However, I will worry about the PLA when they all can swim across the Pacific Ocean. As for their Navy...well, we are the NFL and they are Pop Warner.