🚀 go-pugleaf

From TWZ101@psuvm.psu.edu

     Other nations with aircraft carriers include:

     India: 2 (Vikrant/Viraat)
     Argentina: 1 (Vienticinco de Mayo)
     Brazil: 1 (Minas Gerias)
     Italy: 1 (Giuseppe Garibaldi)
     Spain: 1 (Principe de Austurias)

     The Italian and Spanish ships are ski-jump equipped for operating both
 helicopters and Harriers; the Brazillian and Argentinean ships are getting old
 and probably nearing retirement (we saw how effective the Argie ship was in
 the Falklands in '82).  The Indian vessels are also getting old, and reports
 are that a replacement for one of them is under construction.

     Both Japan and Thailand have been tossing around the idea of acquiring
 some form of small carrier/helo assault ship, and it seems that eventually the
 Japanese will get one, but not for several years.

     The former Soviet Republics also have a number of carrier-type vessels in
 various stages of disrepair.

     2 x Moskva Class (Moskva and Lenningrad)--very old, close to retirement--
                operate only KA-25/27 helicopters
     4 x Kiev Class (Kiev, Novorosysk, Minsk, Kharkov(?))--early/mid-1970s
                ships with ski-jumps for Yak-38 "Forgers" and ASW helos; some
                of these are in awful states of repair and need immediate over-
                hauls or scrapping
     1 x Admrial Kuznetsov--full deck carrier, but I believe it has a ski-jump
                as well; operates 40-50 aircraft, Su-27K is main fighter; now
                under Russian control
     1 x Varyag--Still under construction, I think under Ukrainian control;
                reports last year said it was to be sold to China, but all
                parties involved deny it; would need lots of work to get
                functional
     1 x ??--nuclear powered carrier under construction?
     1 x ??--conventional powered carrier under con., like Kuznetsov

                                                T.Z.
                                "Knowledge, was it worth such torment/
                                 To see the far side of shadow?"--G.T.