Welcome to MSW’s Scuttlebutt! Here’s the news for the day.
Shilang Sails Soon
Source: Forecast International
BEIJING --- After nearly nine years of refurbishing work, the ex-Russian aircraft carrier Shilang will soon be carrying out her sea trials for the Chinese Navy. Originally built in a Ukrainian shipyard as a member of the Project 1143.5 class named Varyag, the carrier was purchased as a derelict hulk in 1998 for about $20 million. The carrier is now named in honor of the Qing Dynasty admiral who conquered what is now known as Taiwan in 1681. There probably is a message in that.
The entry to service of the Shilang will mark a major change in the operational profile of the Chinese People's Liberation Forces Navy. This profile will take some time to mature, because Chinese pilots have no experience taking off from and landing aircraft on carriers and will require several years of at-sea experience before they become fully capable of routine operations. However, one carrier does not make for a convincing capability, so it is unlikely the Shilang will be the last of her kind.
This is where a mystery creeps in. The designation for the reconstruction work on the Shilang is Project 089. In 2008, the Chinese purchased four sets of arrester equipment as used on the Project 1143.5 carriers Varyag and Kuznetsov. One set was installed on the Shilang, the second on the Wuhan "carrier in the cornfield" test facility. The third and fourth sets appear to have been assigned to two additional Project 089 ships, on which first metal has already been cut.
The problem is that a second designation for a Chinese carrier program, Project 085, has appeared and is associated with the reconstruction of the Varyag. The most likely rationale for the designation is that the Chinese see the ski-jump-equipped Project 089 class ships as being an interim solution aimed as much at gaining experience in the construction of aircraft carriers and developing expertise in their operations as providing a full organic aircraft capability. A catapult-equipped version of the design may well be seen as the preferred operational solution.
The original Project 1143.5 design was actually intended to have catapults, but the Russian catapult development effort was a failure, and the switch to a ski-jump was a last-minute accommodation of this abortive development. So, provided the Chinese can succeed where the Russians failed and develop an effective catapult, there should be no great problem in modifying the Project 1143.5 design back to catapult configuration. This could well be Project 085.
U.S. Navy Sailors Serve on New Zealand Ship
Source: U.S Navy
ABOARD HMNZS CANTERBURY, AT SEA --- Eight U.S. Navy Sailors assigned to amphibious transport dock ship USS Cleveland (LPD 7) serve on board New Zealand ship HMNZS Canterbury (L 421) Apr. 16-28.
Cleveland and Canterbury are both participating in Pacific Partnership 2011, which is an annual humanitarian assistance mission promoting cooperation throughout the Pacific. Pacific Partnership grew out of the U.S. Navy's response to the December 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia that devastated the region.
"Canterbury is very suited to this operation because she has amphibious sea-lift capabilities which allow us to get vehicles and personnel ashore where there is no port facility available.
These capabilities have already been tested at Niuatoputapu in the aftermath of the Samoan tsunami in 2009," said Cmdr. Jim Gilmour, Canterbury's commanding officer in an interview for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF).
The U.S. Sailors were swapped with five New Zealand Sailors who will be working aboard Cleveland. Both groups will spend a week aboard their new ships.
"This is a great opportunity to improve partnership and diplomacy between Pacific Partnership nations. It also gives Sailors from the U.S. and New Zealand the chance to see what life is like on each others' ships," said Capt. Jesse A. Wilson, Commander of Destroyer Squadron 23 and the mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2011.
Canterbury is off Niuatoputapu conducting dental, medical and construction work ashore with their own multi-national crew, including Australians, Canadians, French, and Swedes.
"Having the chance to be a part of another country's navy and see how they operate is a great honor for me. I'm learning more about their culture, and the similarities and differences of our navies," said Culinary Specialist 3rd Class Abel Duran, a Sailor attached to Cleveland.
"This is the first time in 28 years that Americans have checked in aboard a New Zealand vessel, and we're all excited to swap sea stories and share our culture with them," said Leading Hand Logan McCrae, a Sailor aboard Canterbury. "We are all working together to improve the quality of life for people in the region, so we all feel good about the mission."
During the past five years, Pacific Partnership has provided medical, dental, educational, and preventive medicine services to more than 210,000 people and completed more than 130 engineering projects in 13 countries.
NZDF has contributed its personnel and support for the Pacific Partnership mission every year since its inception in 2006.
Action of 20–21 April 1782
Today’s is the anniversary of the Action of 20–21 April 1782.
USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124)
Today’s website is [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Horace_A._Bass_%28APD-124%29]USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124)[/url]. Enjoy.
This Day in U.S. Naval History
1861 - USS Saratoga captures the slaver Nightingale.
1898 - U.S. declares war on Spain.
1952 - USS Horace A. Bass (APD 124) commences a series of eight amphibious raids for intelligence and destruction, landing Republic of Korea troops at night against selected targets along the northeast coast of Korea.
1972 - Moonwalk in the Descartes Highlands by Navy John W. Young, commander of Apollo 16. He was the ninth man to walk on the moon. Lt. Cmdr. Thomas K. Mattingly II, was the command module pilot. During the 11-day, 1-hour and 51-minute mission, 213 pounds of lunar material was collected. Recovery was made by Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 1 from USS Ticonderoga (CVS 14).
Diorama Idea of the Day
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry (DDG 52) launches a Tomahawk cruise missile to support Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn. To see the original high resolution photo, click here.
Gator
