SinoDefence Forum

FuManChu

Jeff, that third picture looks like a zoomed version of one often seen before. Maybe it's just me, but perhaps you should check other pictures of it from that direction to see if that ship in the foreground is there too.

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Kilo636

Still ,the lack of radar and sensor installation on Varyag hamper the chances of it entering PLAN service. Only when we start to see such installation on Varyag then we can clearly assume Varyag will enter service as first PLAN A/C. Hope u guys don't put too much hope on Varyag. I know Varyag was bought with an agreement from Ukarine that it will not use for military purpose and I believe the Chinese still abide by that agreement!

Jeff Head

I am sure the last one is a zoomed in pic of one already shown at a distance, but I wanted to show that the deck is indeed being worked on and progress being made on its surface. The other two are ones I have not seen before.

I agree. That will be a key occurrance and will certainly verify its intended use.

Just very interested. I do not believe that the Chinese intend to abide that agreement...which was to use her as a Casino, where the holding company that entered into the agreement has gone out of business. Since that has occurred and it is in a naval yard being worked on, I believe all those bets are off...but that is just my opinion.

bd popeye

Looking at that picture of the bow it looks very clean with a new surface applied.

I'm looking foward to the day when we see some radars on the island.

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Jeff Head

That was my thought too. It looks like they are continuing to work on the flight deck and get it in good order. The picture from the aft side gives me the same impression.

Me too. I have read from a Chinese post that Tphuang quoted that there is work going on internally with propulsion right now. I still believe 2008 is a good time frame...but we shall just have to wait and see.

tphuang

My view is this. We haven't seen a photo from Varyag for a long time. To me, that means there are things been done on it right now. But yeah, until the next photo comes out, it's kind of hard to judge.

Jeff Head

I believe things are going on. The first two photos I posted above in post number 675 were ones I had not seen before, and even if they are several months old, they clearly represent to me progress being made on the carrier's deck. I believe, from those pics, that the deck has been covered over in a relatively final coat, overlaying the non-skid primer we saw some time ago.

If the PLAN is putting that effort into to the deck, you can bet that there is some corresponding effort going on internal to the ship. Exactly what that is, we do not know, and probably will not know until work of some type of begins on her island.

tphuang

hey Jeff, where did you get those pictures of Varyag from? I haven't seen those ones either and haven't seen new ones out for a long long time.

swimmerXC

???

Jeff Head

The up close one one I found HERE on Defence Talk. As I said, the deck appears clearly to be being worked on. Starting to look, at least from these angles, like it is close to its final coating, but no positioning markings on there yet. Need a more recent overhead.

Can't really see the deck surface in that photo, but the photo itself looks more recent as well.

bd popeye

That picture that swimmer posted looks like the one with the "PS" of a J-10 on the flight deck i saw several months ago.

Jeff as far as the deck makings go you may not see them untill all major work on the flight deck is done...That's how most navies do that sort of thing.

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Finn McCool

Just wondering, who takes these pictures?

The most obvious sign of military use is if/when they install missle launchers/CIWS on the Varyag. That will also make it obvious that commisioning is not far in the future.

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Sczepan

those launchers couldn't be needed by trainee-ships

I'm still waiting for radar antennas and more of this electronical stuff ....
it will say, the Varjag becomes ready for sea triales after that time,
so longer they need to this installations,
so more expansive is the overhauling-process in Dalian,
so more I believe in a military future of the ship

lets wait and see

Sea Dog

The more I look at these pictures, the more it looks as though this ship is not going to be a casino or museum. The deck surfaces look clean and well prepared. And the island structure is looking more complete. Obviously, electronics and sensor masts will probably be the last thing we see installed.

Anybody see any signs of propulsion plant work yet?

Jeff Head

I agree Sea Dog, and for all of those who have said, or may have thought that the Varyag was in too bad a condition to upgrade, well, shipyards are capable of some amazing things. An older, Kiev class carrier, is being refitted (and openly I might add) in Severodvinsk, Russia, as we speak. The old (much older than the Varyag) Gorshkov will become the new INS Vikramaditya.

Here's a satellite pic of that rework going on...looks similar to what we see on the Varya in many respects.



Thought I would include this pic here because of the obvious similarities and the fact that older ships like this are very capable of being modernized if a nation is willing to spend the money.