They'll navalize the J-11, since it's essentially an SU-27 Flanker, which has already been navalized (called an SU-33 Sea Flanker). The tech already exists and the ChiComs aren't much for innovation. Which is why they bought the Varyag in the first place.
It means that the Chinese will be able to project power in the Spratlys and have a domestic source of oil, which is more of a problem for the Vietnamese than it is for us since the Vietnamese also claim the Spratlys. Military forces of Malaysia and the Philippines also occupy various islands in the chain, so it could be a free for all. Brunei is also getting a little nervous as well, I imagine. The Aussies will be sorry they decommissioned the Pig, now.
The Varyag looks big, but it is surprisingly anemic in capacity and capability. It's sister ship, the Kutsenov, can only embark with two squadrons of aircraft, at only 12 aircraft per squadron, plus helos and ancillary aircraft. That's 2 dozen combat aircraft. Ours carry about 90 aircraft, but realistically, even we have fewer embarking now.
Something else to think about, the Russians are going to be completely refitting their one big-deck carrier, decommissioning the Sea Flanker, and going with a navalized version of the MiG-29 Fulcrum. Reason being, the Sea Flanker is a fighter, a big one. It can engage aircraft, but lacks any kind of air-to-ground capability aside from unguided weapons like dumb bombs and rocket pods, no air-to-ground precision-guided munitions and no capability to guide them. There was an upgraded version offered to the Russian Navy, but they still bought the Sea Fulcrum for yet another good reason...it was cheaper. Sukhois are expensive.
The Chinese have, at the last time I checked, about 7 carrier-capable fighters.
Is it something to worry about? Yes. Especially if our beloved president decides to buy off the Chinese with technology to keep them servicing our debt.
LOL - A navy is for power projection. You can cut off imports / exports and project power in several different ways with one; Ways that the use of aircraft alone cannot. A B2 bomber no matter how cool can't stop and board a cargo ship, perform local area CAPs (Combat Air Patrols) and stoke our brand with humanitarian aid to the local down troden people, just to name a few things. An aircraft carrier is an offensive power projection weapon - period. There is nothing like parking an aircraft carrier - a floating airport off an enemy coast to send a message - and by way of it control both the local sea space and airspace that you wish to control. The Chinese don't want this for defense they want it for offense. They bought this carrier years back under the auspice they would turn it into a floating hotel and casino, so no one should worry. There was actually a big to do when they wanted to tow it back to China, becuase many in NATO didn't believe a word of what the Chinese were saying. There were a few attempt to restrict both it's sale and then it's sea transport, but of course in today's world the bad guys always seem to get what they want. The Chinese have spent the years since they got it "buying" people in the world to come over and advise them how to finish the thing, operate it and arm it. If I remeber correctly she was designed to support SU-27's (don't quote me) but whichever aircraft it is, I have read that China got the exclusive rights to build these planes outside of Russia. China is building an offensive Navy, you don't do that for sh*ts and giggles; these guys mean business.
