Russian aircraft carrier enroute to Syria.

[Meat-Hook]

If they have any intentions of striking Syria, they better hurry before it gets there. The sinking of a Russian warship in the crossfire would not end well.
*****************

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16129689

The Kuznetsov was being monitored by HMS York 30 miles off the coast of Fife, Scotland, in international waters.

But the Voice of Russia said that its task would be to join an exercise in the Mediterranean.

This will include a visit to Tartus, a Syrian port where Russia has a resupply base.

The news came as the United Nations accused Assad and his regime of the murder of 5,000 of his own citizens

[Helen Keller]

oooooooooooooooooooooooooo boy

gettin closer



:shtf:

[Infidelski]

Sinking that heap of a carrier would be a waste of good ordinance !!!

[old Grump]

Sinking that heap of a carrier would be a waste of good ordinance !!!Ships are hard to sink, it would be good target practice.

[Infidelski]

Ships are hard to sink, it would be good target practice.

Okay, you're correct! It would make good target practice for the USN, might as well perforate that destroyer too. Hopefully the Kremlin has a sub shadowing their carrier, it would give our HSL squadrons something to play with...

[gpwasr10]

That little Russian "Carrier" is so damn cute!

[gpwasr10]

Admiral Kuznetsov:
Launched: 5 December 1985
Displacement: 58,600 Tons (Full Load)
Length: 1,005.5 ft
Beam: 237.2 ft

Machinery:
8 Steam Turbines delivering 200,000 SHP
Range: 8500 NM
Endurance: 45 Days

Crew: 1,993 (w/ Aircrews)

Armement:
8 × AK-630 AA guns (6×30 mm, 6,000 round/min/mount, 24,000 rounds kinda Like our own CIWS)
8 × CADS-N-1 Kashtan CIWS (each 2 × 30 mm Gatling AA plus 32 3K87 Kortik SAM Another CIWS Mount)
12 × P-700 Granit SSM (This is the one weapon here that IS a threat to our Surface Groups)
18 × 8-cell 3K95 Kinzhal SAM VLS (192 missiles; 1 missile per 3 seconds Air defence MIssile System)
RBU-12000 UDAV-1 ASW rocket launchers (60 rockets Anti Submarine)


Aircraft:
41-52
Fixed Wing:
14 × Su-33 fighters
OR
28 × MiG-29K fighters
4 × Sukhoi Su-25UTG/UBP aircraft
Rotary Wing:
4 × Kamov Ka-27LD32 helicopters
11 × Kamov Ka-27PLO helicopters
2 × Kamov Ka-27S helicopters

Looks like a decent small aircraft Carrier that doubles as a Guided Missile Cruiser, like it was designed to act as its own escort. The ship is due a Refit atthe end of this year for Modernization. It could have the SU-33 or the new MiG 29k Carrier based fighters, the SU-33 is no longer in production, but I'm not sure of the new MiGs are actually being built yet; could be a mix. That Granit weapons system is excellent from all the reviews, at least in practice. It was designed to defeat our Aegis Defensive screens.

It would be no match for our Navy, but would cause some damage on its way to see Old Hob.

[N/A]

Chinese carrier

http://newsimages.emerald.synacor.com/ap_photos//f0475e55-1720-4739-b3f9-5f4692b1898e.jpeg

[Mark Ducati]

http://image64.webshots.com/664/2/50/88/2517250880035382812hjMLHW_ph.jpg http://fb.peterl.org/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/442fc20caada8ba86f7b3a0bf1bc3667.gif

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/53307000/gif/_53307665_china_aircraft_carrier_624.gif

Now, the only thing the Nimitz needs is a pair of these hanging off the stern:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1305/1395781927_9386e5d6c7.jpg

[Warthogg]

There has been a US submarine - fast attack; nuclear - with the carrier since it left port.


Wart

[Altarboy]

Well, this may be Obamas moment to show just what kind of metal he has. Anybody want to make bets?

Nice post btw Mark.

[T2K]

There are two things here:

1. The Syrian issue with internal revolt, turmoil, violence, etc. Is it fucked up? Are bad things happening? Yes to both, obviously. Is it in US interests to intervene. NO!
Just like we didn't intervene in Tiananmen Square in China in '89 or Rwanda in '94 or Tehran in '08 or wherever else. We can't fix everything everywhere, nor should we try to.

2. The Russion naval visit to Syria. Given #1 above, who cares? We could sink it at will with a variety of weapons, if needed. Why would we need to? How will this visit threaten US interests to the point that we are willing to engage in war over it?

[Krupski]

Well, this may be Obamas moment to show just what kind of metal he has. Anybody want to make bets?

Nice post btw Mark.

Did you mean "mettle"? :)

[Krupski]

The Syrian issue with internal revolt, turmoil, violence, etc. Is it fucked up? Are bad things happening? Yes to both, obviously. Is it in US interests to intervene. NO!
Just like we didn't intervene in Tiananmen Square in China in '89 or Rwanda in '94 or Tehran in '08 or wherever else. We can't fix everything everywhere, nor should we try to.

OIL?
Tiananmen Square - no
Rwanda - no
Tehran - no
Syria - yes

Need anything else be said?

[Justin]

OIL?
Tiananmen Square - no
Rwanda - no
Tehran - no
Syria - yes

Need anything else be said?

Hey come on now, you forgot to add Libya.

Libya-yes

[old Grump]

How will this visit threaten US interests to the point that we are willing to engage in war over it?Who said anything about war, we were just discussing a little friendly target practice.

[N/A]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBSixrh4G_4



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwWzFSePevw&feature=related

[5.56NATO]

Russia had close ties to Libya, and has very close ties with Syria and Iran, including a mutual defense agreement with Iran. I wonder how long they're going to let a community organiser rub their noses in it via another attack on one their friends.

[MJ1]

China's defence budget has grown 60% in just a few years and their carrier in the big stick they are showing around the world. Obummer just cut the Navy's carrier program by 80% that's not just new ships but maintaining the fleet.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/montereyjack/3a3cd025.jpg

[Warthogg]

China's defence budget has grown 60% in just a few years and their carrier in the big stick they are showing around the world. Obummer just cut the Navy's carrier program by 80% that's not just new ships but maintaining the fleet.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v130/montereyjack/3a3cd025.jpg

OMG !! That liberal's got a gun !!


Wart

[Warthogg]

......including a mutual defense agreement with Iran.

Did NOT know this.


Wart


Drumbeats of War - Russia Comes Down Hard on Syrian Side

Russia has made several moves to warn the United States that they will honor their commitments of mutual defense they made in the Caspian Sea littoral nations pact signed about three years ago.

You say that Syria is not a nation that borders the Caspian Sea? Quite right. But Iran is. And Russia is. And those two nations do have a mutual defense agreement. And Iran and Syria have a mutual defense agreement.

Syria and Iran are conjoined like Siamese twins. If anyone doubted that, the present actions of the Russians should prove the error of their doubts. This blog has often said,’ Iran… and by extension Syria’. Those nations are homeboys together. And now Russia has plainly shown that all three nations are in the same ‘hood.

http://disasteremergencysupplies.com/snafu/2011/12/drumbeats-of-war-russia-comes-down-hard-on-syrian-side/

[Meat-Hook]

"Russia had close ties to Libya, and has very close ties with Syria and Iran, including a mutual defense agreement with Iran"
------------------------------

Neither did I.

I had no idea that Iran,.. and of all places,...Russia. Had a "mutual defense pact".

This sounds like Article 5.

As in NATO,................."An attack on one,...is an attack on all of us".

So if this really does exist, please provide Links. Because this is very serious.

[5.56NATO]

This is about as close as I can come to a treaty:
http://articles.latimes.com/2001/mar/13/news/mn-36965
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/KG30Ak01.html
http://www.irantracker.org/foreign-relations/russia-iran-foreign-relations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Russia_relations

Neither side says much about who will do what and when and if.