Why Have An Aircraft Carrier

US Responds To Chinese Aircraft Carrier With Pointed Question -- Hot Air

ABC features the Obama administration response as if – well, as if it deserves featuring:



As China’s first aircraft carrier takes to the open seas today for its inaugural sea trials, the U.S. government directed a pointed question at the Chinese military: Why would you need a warship like that?



“We would welcome any kind of explanation that China would like to give for needing this kind of equipment,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters today. “We have had concerns for some time and we’ve been quite open with them with regard to the lack of transparency from China regarding its power projection and its lack of access and denial of capabilities.” …



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My Comment: The Chinese want to have aircraft carriers for the same reasons why others have one .... to project power, to use it if necessary, and to defend one's strategic and political interests.



Update: Decoding China’s Aircraft Carrier -- The Diplomat

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China's Aircraft Carrier Is Making It's Asian Neighbors Nervous

China's first aircraft carrier has begun its inaugural sea trial, the defence ministry said Wednesday, a move likely to stoke concerns about the nation's rapid military expansion. Video courtesy of AFP.

Troubled Waters: Why China's Navy Makes Asia Nervous -- Time

The last time the aircraft carrier once known as the Varyag generated this much concern, it was for fear it might sink. The ship was one of the Soviet Union's last naval commissions, but construction at the Black Sea shipyard of Mykolaiv was abandoned in 1992 after the U.S.S.R.'s breakup. The Varyag languished as an unfinished hulk until 1998, when a Chinese company, based in Macau and with ties to the Chinese navy, bought it from Ukraine, ostensibly to take the ship to the gambling enclave as a floating casino. Turkish officials worried that the 300-m vessel — a rusting shell without weaponry, engines or navigation equipment — would sink while crossing the Bosphorus Strait, causing an environmental headache and a hazard to navigation. So they delayed its passage for three years, only agreeing in 2001 to halt traffic on the Bosphorus to allow the symbol of Soviet decline to be tugged past the shoreside forts and luxury homes of Istanbul on its five-month journey to the Pacific.



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More News On China's Aircraft Carrier

China Flexes Naval Muscle -- Wall Street Journal

China's future aircraft carrier no source of tension -- Xinhuanet

China Begins Sea Trials of Its First Aircraft Carrier -- New York Times

China's First Aircraft Carrier Begins Sea Trial -- Voice of America

China launches first aircraft carrier -- The Telegraph

China launches first aircraft carrier on maiden sea trial -- Reuters

China test-drives first aircraft carrier -- Washington Post

China's Navy Sets Sail -- IBD Editorial

US to China: Why Do You Need an Aircraft Carrier? -- ABC News



My Comment: A good commentary on the impact of China's new aircraft carrier on it's Asian neighbors can be found here.

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China's First Aircraft Carrier Leaves Shipyard For Sea Trials

File photo of China's refitted aircraft carrier. The aircraft carrier left its shipyard at Dalian Port in northeast Liaoning Province on Wednesday morning to start its first sea trial. Military sources said that the first sea trial was in line with schedual of the carrier's refitting project and would not take a long time. After returning from the sea trial, the aircraft carrier will continue refit and test work. (Xinhua Photo)

China's Refitted Aircraft Carrier Platform Sets Sail For First Sea Trial -- Xinhuanet

DALIAN, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- China's refitted aircraft carrier left its shipyard at Dalian Port in northeast Liaoning Province on Wednesday morning to start its first sea trial.



Military sources said that the first sea trial was in line with schedual of the carrier's refitting project and would not take a long time. After returning from the sea trial, the aircraft carrier will continue refit and test work.



The carrier was originally built by the former Soviet Union which named it Varyag yet failed to complete the ship's construction before collapsing in 1991. The still-unnamed aircraft carrier was an empty shell. Ukraine disarmed it and removed its engines before selling it to China.



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More News On China's First Aircraft Carrier Conducting Sea Trials

China's first aircraft carrier sets sail on maiden voyage -- RIA Novosti

China launches first aircraft carrier on maiden sea -- Reuters

China's first aircraft carrier starts sea trials -- Forbes/AP

China’s First Aircraft Carrier Starts Sea Trial, Xinhua Says -- Bloomberg

China’s first aircraft carrier takes to the sea -- Financial Times

China's first aircraft carrier starts sea trial -- AFP

China's first carrier starts sea trials -- CNN

China's first aircraft carrier 'starts sea trial' -- BBC

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China Needs 3 Aircraft Carriers: General

China Requires At Least Three Aircraft Carriers – General -- Defence Web

China needs at least three aircraft carriers in order to defend its interests, according to a general who spoke days after state media showed footage of China’s first aircraft carrier, the reconditioned Varyag.

"If we consider our neighbours, India will have three aircraft carriers by 2014 and Japan will have three carriers by 2014," General Luo Yuan, a senior researcher with the Academy of Military Sciences, was quoted as saying by Beijing News.

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More News On China's Aircraft Carrier Goals

China: We Need At Least 3 Aircraft Carriers -- DoD Buzz
China Needs Three Aircraft Carriers, Says General -- NTDTV
China needs 'three aircraft carriers': general -- Deccan Chronicle
China begins to build its own aircraft carrier -- Washington Times
A Chinese Carrier for ‘Science’ -- Defense Tech
China Claims Nearly-Operational, Weaponized Aircraft Carrier Is for "Scientific Research" -- Gizmodo
China's navy carrier to begin maiden voyage soon -- People's Daily
China Recruits 10,000 To Build Aircraft Carrier -- Manufacturing.net
China to be the tenth country having aircraft carriers -- Voice of Russia
China one step closer to developing aircraft carrier -- Wang Xinjun, China Daily

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Chinese Nuclear Sub Accident?

Ming-class submarines.

Chinese Nuclear Accident Alleged -- Offiziere.ch

A nuclear submarine in the port of Dalian in northern China has suffered an accident and is leaking radiation, according to a former Japanese fighter pilot-turned-blogger.

“The area is strictly closed off by the Chinese military, and the situation is said to be very dangerous,” Mamoru Sato wrote in Japanese of the alleged July 29 incident.

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My Comment: With the exception of David Axe, no one else is reporting on this story. If anyone has more info, please put it into the comments section.

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China Confirms Its Carrier Plans

The undated photo shows the imported aircraft carrier body is refitted. China's National Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that the country is making use of an imported aircraft carrier body for refitting to be used for scientific research, experiment and training. (Xinhua)

China Confirms Carrier Plans -- Jason Miks, The Diplomat

China confirmed yesterday that it’s close to completing the refitting of the former Soviet aircraft carrier Varyag, now known as the Shi Lang, and that the vessel will soon be ready for its first ‘research and training’ mission.

The refurbishment of the former Ukrainian vessel has been known about – and widely speculated on – for some time. But Chinese officials this time went further in adding that they are also considering building their own carrier.

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More News On China's Aircraft Carrier Plans

Chinese aircraft carrier has region spooked -- The Australian
China defends carrier plans, neighbors fret over buildup -- Yahoo News/Reuters
China defends carrier plans, neighbours worry about buildup -- Economic Times
China announces its first aircraft carrier -- UPI
China downplays capability of first aircraft carrier -- AFP
China says rebuilt aircraft carrier for research -- Stars and Stripes
China Says Aircraft Carrier to be Used for Research, Training -- Voice of America
China Says Carrier Won't Alter Naval Strategy -- Wall Street Journal
Expert: China has long way to develop navy -- Xinhuanet
Q. and A. on aircraft carrier "Varyag" -- Xinhuanet
China's military flexes its muscle -- USA Today

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