Quote:
Originally Posted by dragoon500ly
Accordinging to "Combat Fleets of the World"; full load displacement is 67,000 tons, she has 4 sets of boilers/steam tubines that deliver 200,000 shp and gives the ship a max speed of 32 knots. Like the previous Kiev-class, the Kuznetsov carries a heavy armament of 16 SS-N-19 Shipwreck SSMs (reloadable!!!), 24 SA-N-9 VLS SAM (each VLS capable of launching up to 384 SAMs!), 8 CADS-1 CIWS (8 tube laucher for SA-N-11 SAMs and 2 30mm gatlings),6 AK-630 CIWS 30mm gatling guns as well as 2 RBU-12000 ASW RL (10 barrels). Air group consists of 24 Su-27 Flanker and 9-12 Helix-A and -C ASW/AEW helicopters.
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This figures cannot apply to the Shi Lang (not exactly at least). Don't forget than Varyag had been delivered without weaponry, navigation systems and propelling systems. There might be some significant differences.
I agree with what you say about the defensive roles of such carriers but utside of US carriers this is true of any current carrier. Still an airgroup of 30 aircrafts plus around 10 helicopters is more than enough to make your point when your purpose is to defend commercial lanes and be acitve in an international intervention. The focus on ASW warfare is, however, a misunderstanding, helicopters being far better fitted to this task than aircrafts.
The Kuznetsov design is more than a match for ships such as the Indian carriers, the Chakri Naruebet, the Hiei-class, the Sao Paulo, the Charles de Gaulle, the Invincible. It still remains a match for the future Queen Elizabeth.
Of course, it cannot compete with the US carriers but why would you commit suicide by declzring war to the USA when you are big enough not to be attacked by this same USA and when a far better option is to trade with US?