re: #166 Dark_Falcon

Yeah, but it might well be posthumous. That thing has pretty good Anti-aircraft defenses, and when she goes out she won’t go out alone. Moreover, Chinese carrier pilots will be no pushovers. China has made sure the pilots flying the Su-30s on that CV will have had lots of proper training. Still not as good as our pilots, most likely, but they will be fit to fight.

Not alone, but what air defense cruisers do the Chinese have?

None, last I looked. Their handful of destroyers are not ready for blue water power projection. I do not believe the PLAN can actually protect a carrier. If they tried to buy that last Slava Class cruiser from Ukraine and anything similar, I would take it a bit more seriously. As it is, The Indian Navy is far more dangerous and capable then the PLAN.