Kitty Hawk for India?

I heard a rumor about the Kitty Hawk being offered to India with a complement of 65 F-18s. This seems to be similar to the Gorshkov offer. Anyone know anything about this?

i`ve heard this since november last year - not really sure , as it would be incredably expensive - and they`ve thrown alof of money at teh russian carrier allready.

OP,

Would you please show the link to the information you are directing at us?? This is a huge claim to be making, and maybe it is true, but what evidence is there to substantiate it?
Do some vague math figures and it becomes more than unlikely, especially when you have thrown in the part about a full complement of F 18's! Since the Kitty Hawk is not state of the art anymore, what model of Hornets would they be? C's, D's, even E's, F's, or G's?? And what details are there about the supporting equipment, parts, weaponry, may there be?
I was part of an F 18 squadron, am fairly active in some chat groups of Hornet drivers, and I have never heard this before...so yeah, I am very curious about this info

Looking forward to more details,
Peace, Mondo

[edit on 26-2-2008 by Mondogiwa]

www.upiasiaonline.com...


www.redstate.com...


www.opinionbug.com...


as i said , news has been around since november - i think its the rumour mill trying to derail the russian carrier deal.

I'm not making this claim. I am just looking for confirmation on a rumor I heard. Robert Gates is in India currently I think and I hear he is expected to make this offer. The hornets are thought be the E/F models.

The Gorshkov deal is supposed to be in the doldrums even though the Indians are receptive to paying an additional 600 mill or so on top of the 1.6 billion already handed over to the Russians.

I did do a Google search and came across a few articles that show this as an attractive proposition. I do not want to repeat them here. It looks like a win-win situation for the US and India, maybe not so for the Russians.

Link...

[edit on 26-2-2008 by RedBaron]

Wow,

Thanks for the links, what an interesting thought. I seriously doubt that it would ever happen, too much involved but you never know...war is a huge business! Again, thanks for the links!

Peace, Mondo

The US has never sold a supercarrier before, it's an interesting idea.
Frankly we should sell off a few more, maybe to the EU, and get back a little bit of the money we've put into our demented Iraqi misadventure.

A dozen carrier battlegroups is more than a little ridiculous anyway, in a world where nobody else has more than one.

Dunno about Kitty Hawk herself though, the poop is that she is not exactly in peak material condition - hence her nickname in the Navy, which I'd post but it's against TOS

Hint: what rhymes with "Kitty"?

aye kitty is due for the chop - she is in aweful condition now and wouldn`t be use to anyone sadly

Yeah, I was in Nav back in the early 80s, even then we called her the #ty Kitty...along with the U.S.S Neverdock (Midway, retired)...two boats that I cannot imagine being able to retrofit back into any type of fit to fight readiness...

edit for spelling

[edit on 26-2-2008 by deadbang]

65 Super Hornets would be considerably more powerful than 16 MiG29Ks.

It would raise many a brow, including Russia's. How much would this cost? That itself would be prohibitive.

Originally posted by Daedalus3
How much would this cost? That itself would be prohibitive.

Its supposedly for "free", providing that the Indians buy 65 super hornets

First just because the Kitty Hawk was called Sh** Kitty doesnt mean it was meant as an insult. Even in the 70s it was called the same thing. It is called with affection by that name by many who served on her and is the only permanently forward deployed aircraft carrier in the USN.

She had a refit in 1990 and that was supposed to last 20 years. If the Indians go for another refit it they could probably stretch it another 20 years. She is actually in fine shape considering that she took part in many recent campaigns in the WoT in Iraq. They wouldnt drag a accident waiting to happen into a fight.

Also the Kitty Hawk is an old carrier and there's a new carrier on the way, the USS George H.W Bush, that last of the Nimitz Class. I doubt the Indians will spend so much money on something they have already sunk a lot of money into.

Apologies IAF, did not mean it as an insult to the ole gal...we had names for everyone of the boats when I was in.

Me I was on the Big E...Enterprise CVN 65, Carrier Air Group 11, Roll the Dice!

at the time there was also...

Saratoga - Sinking Sarah
Midway - USS Neverdock
Eisenhower - Ike
Lexington - The Ghost
Ranger - ?
Independence - Indie
Kitty Hawk - refer above
Constellation - Connie
America - America
Kennedy - JFK

I totally understand your position, the Big E was my home for a total of 20 moths of my life...and I am as proud now for her as I was then...

I can't offer proof that the Kitty Hawk won't be sold to India...politicians have never been rational animals, so almost anything is possible given enough cash on the barrel head. I can, however, think of at least one reason for each side to not seal this particular deal.

It's a bad move for the Indian navy because of the Kitty Hawk's material condition. She's not a young ship by any means, and she's not had a sedate career.

For the USN, it's a dangerous deal, if for no other reason than that US carrier design has been very much an evolutionary process, as opposed to a revolutionary one. Giving possible enemies a good look at the Kitty Hawk would probably show a lot more about later carrier designs than is prudent.

india have finalised costings for the russian carrier - so i really think kitty hawk will not be going near there.

afp.google.com...

Doubt India will go for it. However it wouldn’t be such a poor Idea for the UK to look into this as an alternative for the Queen Elizabeth class carriers which seem to destined to either be reduced in number or cancelled (Labour Government tendency + embarrassing defence budget).
If the UK were to be able to acquire the Kitty Hawk, Constellation and JFK we would even be able to maintain a three carrier force which allows for one in maintainance, one active and a seriously sized amphibious platform.

Jensy

nah the uk will be buying both QE ships

*double post*

[edit on 29/2/08 by Harlequin]

Kennedy and Kitty Hawk have both had serious problems with readiness in recent years (to the point that both have gotten a CO canned). Given what that implies for the condition of the ships, and their age (pushing 50), the UK would (at least IMNSHO) be better off with a pair of new home-built ships. That would not only do great things for the shipbuilding industry, it would let them incorporate all the latest techniques and technologies to lower life-cycle costs.

Nah the British wouldnt buy it for two reasons. First they dont have the money to run 3 carriers. I'm still wondering how they are going to manage two. Second, the British navy would be buying an artificial reef because unless they practically rebuild the whole carrier bulkhead by bulkhead it wont last for more than 10 years in its present shape.

On a side note, cant wait to check out the new Gerald Ford CVN thats slated to come out after the Bush CVN. The QE seems pretty good from the schematics they put up, wonder how many new toys the Ford is going to get. The E-Cats are going to be sweet!