I just read up on the USN Spruance class and noticed that all but 7 of 31 units have been decommissioned. Wouldn’t some of these ships, when equipped with mk41 VLU, be of interest to the IN? Very good ASW platform and easily equipped with VL Sea Sparrow, ESSM, even Standard SM2. Suited as carrier escort. About the same number of crew as a Delhi class ship. Might be more cost-effective then building or buying new ships. Opinions anyone?

Well seeings as the original starship Enterprise is, in reality, a small toy ship with utterly no practical value I think you could be on to something there, Haley.

What is the bloody point of this thing?. A couple of heavy antiship missiles that it has nowhere near the sensor fit to operate, to full potential, and a 30mm single-barreled gun which offers, what, a marginal capability against small surface targets and slow-mover air targets?

What is the value of this vessel that a couple of JH-7 or Su-30 with a few C-803’s or Kh-31’s couldn’t achieve better?.

In that sense this new wave piercing cat is not much different from, let’s say, the soviet OSA class. Mainly faster and lower signature… good for a quick out, strike and (hopefully) back in.

k, thanks for the translation. Does it say what the TLAS stands for? Or it just that?

At first I thought towed line-array sonar but, after reading Jonesy’s post, I’ld say towed long-array sonar.

I’m convinced it is related to the F25T design in some way. IMHO, the superstructure has been widened. As a result of adopting a more enclosed (= more stealthy) superstructure, the whole design look a bit stubbier. But the general lay out (locations and shapes of bridge, main mast, funnel, hangar) seems very similar to F25T, although the flight deck is one deck up higher in the OPV.

Besides, this is what the RTN website indicates the OPV will look like:

:confused:

Anyone into scale modeling? Looks 50’s/60’s era Russian SAM’s
http://bbs.china.com/images/2004-09-08/1094642170a5.jpg
doesn’t it? But, word is it’s the newest introduction into the marketplace.

Its the Chinese KS-1 SAM. It looks much like a SA-2 without its booster stage. Supposedly has about 45km range. Operates in a batttery comprising 4-6 twin missile launcher unites, a phased array guidance radar and some more veh.

ignorant comment if i ever heard one, and certainly not what this thread was intended for. Please do me a favour and edit out your comment so I continue this thread at least for archival purposes. Coming together to exchange info and photos is what I thought these forums were all about.

Keep your hat on, I don’t think Severodvinsk was being serious …

For small craft, on power, it would be Nakat, the Nanuchka III class with 12 Yakhont missiles (test-ship for that missile).

Here you go.

Larger image here:

At least two regiments of Tu-22M3 attached to the AV-MF as far as I know.

Sorry, but I’m not well versed in russian naval air organization: roughly how many airframes is two regiments?