I think if the Chinese ever wanted to alter the status quo in the Pacific region they might attempt to “purchase” a large Air-Naval Base outside the Taiwan/Japan/Chinese Coast sea theater.

Someplace to distract the “potential oponents” (USA) attention if the Pacific region ever heats up again… Who knows, maybe some cash-strapped island in the South Pacific may look forward to a major Chinese infrastucture investment, new ports, airports, roads, fuel deposits, etc. It could be a place for the Chinese Carriers to sail to and back. Keeping them safe and conveniently away from the range of US Japanese based military aircraft and ships.

Who knows, maybe “big” guys like Papua New Guinea or The Philipines or even “smaller” countries such as Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Kiribati…
Pinpoint these achipelagos on the map and see what noise one (or even more then one!) Chinese Naval Base there might generate in Washington, Sydney or Aukland…

Coments?

Regards,

Hammer

Maybe you missed this…

Some nice shots os SAS Islandwana during Atlasur in Uruguayan waters last year… 🙂

Regards

Hammer

http://www.alide.com.br/artigos/atlasurVI/index.htm

Hi guys, I wrote the article tht was published in the Base Militar Web Site. Once I got my hand on those brochures I realized that there was quite possibly the first ‘concrete’ evidence of what the new Su-35 was really going to be.

The new control panel really surprised me as well as the external tanks the text in it especifically states ‘conformal’ tanks… and not traditional underwing pilon supported tear-drop shaped ones… as I expected. the availability of Link16 compatible hardware was also a wild new news item. I believe that what they are aiming at here is for those countries that currently or in the future wanto to field Network-Centric-Warfare capability but that would not be interested in setting up two parallel and incompatible systems one NATO and one Russian. Does any one believe that if the UAE (for instance…) wants to use Link16 to itegrate all its aircraft and they end up purchasing some Su-35s (as was reported they came close to doing some years ago…) that they wouldn’t be alowed to do it? I doubt it! If not UAE, maybe Saudi Arabia or Brazil, Mexico or Argentina? Somebody please shed a light here for me, what is really classified, the Link 16 hardware in itself or the encription systems it uses to mask the transmitted information?

By implementing time tested western standards inside into its new planes the Russians are trying to invite some non traditional clients to give it a try, tu purchase the new Flanker and to operate it seamlesly (as possible) along with other western fighters. This message plays good to many ears here in South America and should also treat air force commanders in South East Asia and in the Middle East…

The new Su-35 is in my point o view a simpler, lighter and carries major performance upgrades over the already impressive earlier Flankers. The reliability enhancements, such engine and structural time, by themselves should act as a powerful catalyzer of new orders, I hope.

Venezuela’s Chavez has gone on record sayng that we wants some Su-35 squadrons after he gets all his Su-30MK2s…

I don’t think the new Su-35 is intended as an upgrade program because part of the advantage lies in the lighter sturdier structure and that might mean a very costly rebuild program to current Su-27 users. I’d personally put my chips on new build aircraft.

Best Regards

Hammer

You mean like the Visper Thornycroft proposal for a stealth corvette?

The design incorporated a retractable mast for surface search and nav radars plus other emitters, located within the forward mast housing.

Some pics of how it would have loked.

Unicorn

Any idea on this concept how far up and down would the main sensor mast travel? Would lifting and retracting the sensors generate any kind of calibration problems in the middle of the ocean?

Another doubt is the tradition, wide open ship bridge a necessity now adays? Or can we expect it to evolve into a large, high-mounted “cockpit like” highly automated ship piloting environment translating to the ship the reduced cockpits of the current large transport-bomber aircraft of today? very large EFIS displays, Head Up displays, audible and synthetic-voice alarms, fused data tactical displays, datalinks, etc, etc. Automated robot arm for replenishment at sea operations. GPS-fed, datalink synched two/three-ship fully automated parallel navigation mode.

I think if this tech is helpful for a pilot going at over 500kts it sure has to work nicely for a ship that tops at 35kts, right?
Regards,

Hammer

I was wondering if in the quest for ideal stealth performance would it be reasonable to put most of the radar emitters of the ship on a elevating mast structure? Just like the masts on submarines? Also could the forward gun turret be built in such way as to “pop up” from a “steath enhanced” flush deck cover like some late WWII aircraft had them (just then it was for reduced aerodynamic penalties…)? Finaly anyone noticing how “submariny” these modern day escorts are shaping up to be? Is this the inevitable future?

Comments?

Hammer

great art!

Hi McConrads, would you mind detailing what is real and what is your speculation on the drawings you posted above?

thanks!

Hammer

Hi again,

“Things around FREMM become clear: it’s just a cheap vehicle to sell expensive missiles.”

Well sure better to sell the hole package than to split the profits.

“That means the missile choice dictates also the ships origin”

I have another contender: a vls equipped version of the TKMS F125 proposal published on the TKMS homepage. (Though of topic a small news paper recently published an article stating that this F125 design might never see light anyway.)

“You must use building blocks.”

Actually I just modified my existing FREMM picture.

“does anybody know why it seems that greece favors the french fremm design?”

Well it is the largest shipbuilding project around so it would be strange if they wouldn´t consider it. That has some advantages. Firstly it already is a multi-national project meaning that the basic design is already prepared to be modified to national interest. Secondly it makes it easier to negotiate a “build them all locally” contract. And last but not least the price of course.

I somehow doubt that it has anything to do with the U214 problems though. No substantial reason why. Call it a gut feeling.

Regards