The Chinese have had decades to study the steam catapult and arresting gear from HMAS Melbourne and to design/test new, more powerful examples of both.

They have had years to study the internal design of two classes of Russian/Soviet carriers and one British one, plus whatever they have been able to learn from intelligence operations in France/UK/USA/Brazil/India.

I am quite sure they will be creating a new design based on their needs and expectations for use.

Ummm… there is no Independence link… just two identical Yamato links.

Does the Singapore AF still operate A-4s, I remember seeing a couple at Waddington about 7 or 8 years ago. Were they the ex-RNZAF aircraft?

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) purchased 47 refurbished Skyhawks (40 A-4B, 7 TA-4) from U.S. in 1972. The aircraft were re-designated A-4S/TA-4S. The “T” version of the RSAF Skyhawk was unique in that, rather than the single “clam shell” canopy common to other TA-4 models, each TA-4S cockpit had a separate canopy.

From 1984 to 1989, the RSAF conducted a Skyhawk service life extension program. The 8,400-lb-thrust J65 engines were replaced with 11,000 lb. thrust F404-GE-100D turbofans. Other upgrades included modified engine air intakes; new structural mounts to accommodate the F404 engines; installation of new refrigeration, hydraulic pumps, air turbine starters, and oil coolers; new sensors, cockpit instrumentation, and state-of-the-art avionics; engine and environmental control systems; higher output electrical generators; and improved air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance carrying and control capability.

Re-designated as A-4SU “Super Skyhawk,” the refurbished Skyhawks became operational in 1988, and Skyhawk pilot training was fully operational in March 1989. With the total RSAF inventory of about 60 aircraft, the three Singapore Skyhawk units (142, 143, and 145 Squadrons), operating from Tengah Air Base, made up a numerical majority of that country’s military aircraft.

In late 1997, the RSAF Skyhawk training unit (143 squadron) was disbanded as part of a new advanced jet training effort. The former 143 Squadron A-4SUs were shipped to southwest France in September 1998 where, at Cazaux Air Base, 150 Squadron was established for advance training of RSAF pilots. The French site was selected because of available practice bombing ranges and airspace over the North Atlantic for ACM training, as well as opportunity for electronic warfare technique practice.

In October 2003, the RSAF announced three survivors in the competition to replace the A-4SU Skyhawk: the Boeing F-15T Strike Eagle, the Dassault Rafale, and the Eurofighter Typhoon. Dropped from consideration were the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, the Boeing FA-18E/F Super Hornet, and the Sukov Su-30/35 Flanker. A contract for as many as 24 replacement aircraft may be let in 2004, but, since the replacement for the A-4SUs is viewed as an interim solution, the final number ordered could be well below the projected 24 and the service life of the venerable old Skyhawk could be extended. The Lockheed-Martin F-35 JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) has entered the picture. Since Singapore is expected to be a player in the JSF project as a “Security Cooperation Participant,” if the F-35 is ordered the first deliveries could occur as early as 2012-2015.

Singapore Update:
“Mike” of the “Skyhawk Study Group” has reported that 142 Squadron, the last Singapore Air Force A-4 Skyhawk squadron, was disestablished on April 1, 2005.
The SAF Advanced Jet Training Detachment (150 Squadron), consisting of four Skyhawks and currently operating from Cazaux, France, is scheduled for disestablishment in 2007.
12 April 2005

http://www.skyhawk.org/2e/singapore/singapore.htm

The timeline of that anti-Obama blather is so screwed up you wonder if the person who posted it knew which century we are in.

Gortney, the commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, said the White House had given “very clear guidance and authority” to take action if Phillips’ life was in danger.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/us_world/NATLSomali-Pirates-Americans.html

It was early Wednesday when the pirates boarded Maersk Alabama.

On Wednesday, the Navy sent a destroyer, the USS Bainbridge, chugging toward the Maersk Alabama. By Thursday, its crew, coached by FBI hostage negotiators, was talking to the pirates.

It was about midnight on the ocean, Thursday turning to Friday, when Phillips made a break for it.
He jumped out of the lifeboat and began to swim for his life. One of the captors fired an automatic weapon — perhaps at Phillips, perhaps only as a warning, either way enough to show that the pirates meant business. Phillips swam back to the lifeboat.

The USS Bainbridge was still several hundred yards away from the lifeboat — not nearly close enough to save him on his escape attempt.

It was early Friday night in Washington, Saturday morning over the Indian Ocean, when President Barack Obama authorized the Defense Department to use military force to rescue the sea captain, according to administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.

And as the standoff entered its fourth day, the president broadened the order so that it encompassed more military personnel and other equipment that had arrived in the Indian Ocean.

Then, at about noon Eastern time on Sunday, early evening on the water, they saw something else: One of the pirates was aiming at Phillips’ back. The commander of the Bainbridge gave the order for Navy snipers to fire.

http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/us_world/NATLHow-Five-Days-of-High-Seas-Drama-Unfolded.html

Phillips’ escape attempt was just a few hours after the Bainbridge arrived… the ship was still too far away to try anything… even if the SEALs had been aboard at that time!

They weren’t there until Saturday evening… nearly two full days later!!

In Washington that Friday evening, Obama received two national security briefings on the situation. Based on those reports, the White House said, the president gave “the Department of Defense policy guidance and certain authorities to allow U.S. forces to engage in potential emergency actions.”

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Monday that the Defense Department twice requested the authority to use deadly force because two groups of Special Operations Forces were involved in the operation. Each required its own sanction. He said that “the approval was given virtually immediately in both cases.”

Mr Obama first gave permission around 8 p.m. (0000 GMT) Friday, and upgraded it at 9:20 a.m. (1320 GMT) Saturday.

A senior administration official said that the president did not deny any operational request made to him and that he knew the broad outlines of the operation that the Navy had planned. The official said that “our people tried a variety of ways to resolve the situation peacefully, and the guidance all along was that the overriding interest was the captain’s life.”

….

On Saturday evening dozens of Navy SEALs parachuted from C-17 transport aircraft into the sea, making their way with inflatable Zodiacs to the Bainbridge.

http://wap.twp.mlogic3g.com/detail.jsp?key=374008&rc=to&p=1&all=1

The ship was hijacked Wednesday, April 8th. Bainbridge arrived Thursday, April 9th.

Captain Phillip’s sole escape attempt occurred as Thursday the 9th turned to Friday the 10th.

Note this from the “debunker” himself:

What I know is on the eleventh of April, 2009 at 1600 two C17 cargo planes flew over Boxer and out of the back four parachutes emerged.

Then came the boats! Four very fast 1300 hp SWCC boats with radar and guns! After those were safely extracted the personnel and Seals jumped. About 95 people in all arrived in the water near Boxer, swam to the ship and entered the well-deck.

Until the arrival of the SEALs on the afternoon of Saturday, April 11th, there were no specialized “Navy shooters” aboard Bainbridge!

Thus, his “straight from the SEALs’ mouths” statement of

3. The first time the hostage jumped, the SEALS had the raggies all sighted in, but could not fire due to ROE restriction

cannot possibly be true… just like virtually all of the post!!!

As for the delay between the arrival of the Bainbridge and the arrival of the SEALs… it takes a little time to get a team of 95 men ready, acquire and examine blueprints of the lifeboat their subjects are in, develop an action plan (this part can be done in the air), load them and their gear (including boats) into planes, and fly them from the US to the other side of the world!

No one would authorize them to deploy before a USN ship even got there, as there would be no idea what the situation was, nor which gear they would need… for all they knew, the lifeboat was rendezvousing with another “pirate mother ship” at any time… which would completely invalidate any plans made before Bainbridge could arrive and stabilize the situation!

Thus, there is about 24 hours between the arrival of Bainbridge to assess the situation and provide clear intelligence to Washington and the Pentagon, and the approval for the operation.
And about 48 hours between the first time any responsible commander would authorize deployment and their arrival.

Grumman F7F Tigercat
4x20mm cannon and 4x.50 mg. 460mph (400 knots)
Carrier-based, single or two-seat, torpedo or 2×1,000 lb bombs + rockets… radar-equipped night fighter version… its got it all.

http://www.kbvp.com/extreme-videos/f7f-tigercat-airshow-video-clay-lacy

What, and open yourself up to a lawsuit if the drawing/tech info you share contains errors and contributes to or causes property damage/injury/death?

Wanshan, thanks for interesting info.

I assume the 6.7m is the “height” of the ship? How is this measured? (Apologies for asking such naive questions)…

The 6.7m is the depth… how far below the surface of the ocean the bottom of the hull is when fully loaded.