Current Events in Asia-Pacific

From Aviation Week At Matsushima: 18x F-2B fighter trainers, only 6-9 of which might be capable of being repaired 5x UH-60J helicopters 5x T-4 jet trainers 2x Hawker 800XPs

Chinese Missiles and the Wal-Mart Factor

From Aviation Week [excerpt] CV32: Already in the HCDB, btw.

From DefenseNews [excerpt]

BBC reporting escalating row between China and Vietnam in the South China Sea China 'cable' cutting angers Vietnam in Spratlys row

JH-XX, looking in some respects like a two-seat F-35 ... Secret Projects DEW Line blog RIA Novosti

BBC news report Apparently it won't sail to other countries' territorial waters... which no sensible carrier admiral would do anyway...

From Reuters [excerpt] CV32: One wonders where the Shi Lang and her "air wing" will head on their maiden voyage?

From RIA Novosti [excerpt] CV32: Russkies got no money for fuel, etc, or something deeper going on?

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/06/re...e-of-junk/all/1 'Cause Shi Lang is a navalized version of "Potyomkin villages? Points in article: - Chinese have no experience whatsoever in conducting naval air ops - It is just a one carrier against entire Pacific Fleet, augmented by its allies - Chinese have only J-15 naval fighter (possibly with limited antisurface capabilities) and some helicopters for ASW and (possibly) AEW role, but nothing more. No EW planes, no AEW planes, no carrier cargo planes - Chinese fleet have insufficent number of modern warships and submarines, comparable to Tico's, Burke's, improved Los Angeles, Seawolves and Virginias. So chinese f…

From RIA Novosti [excerpt]

From Reuters [excerpt]

From the Summer 2011 issue of US Naval War College Review: A New Carrier Race? (PDF) A lengthy discussion about the JMSDF's new DDH Hyuga.

From the Summer 2011 issue of US Naval War College Review: PLA Doctrine and the Employment of Sea Based Airpower (PDF)

[excerpt] Beijing is revealing pictures of its indigenously built J-15 Flying Shark design that is intended to populate the decks of its first aircraft carrier. It comes equipped with large surface area wings (for extra lift at low speeds) that fold (for a small footprint on a crowded aircraft carrier deck), reinforced landing gear (for high, sink-rate landings), a tailhook (for arrested landing on short carrier decks) and a light blue paint scheme to signal its role in the People's Liberation Army’s Navy. Small canards on the nose also are to help lower the landing speed and the tail cone has been shortened to avoid ramp strikes. [/excerpt] Full story

From DefenseNews [excerpt]

From Defense Aerospace [excerpt]

From Flight Global [excerpt] Contenders are Super Hornet, JSF and Eurofighter Typhoon.

From Defense Aerospace [excerpt]

CV32: You've heard of the ice trucks, perhaps, but how about the ice bombers? From Flight Global [excerpt]