© AFP 2016/ STR
Defense News: Analysis: Chinese Aircraft Carrier Program Progressing Substantially Into the New Year
MELBOURNE, Australia — China continues to make strides in its aircraft carrier program, with a number of milestones achieved in 2016 and looks set to make more in 2017.
The country’s sole carrier, the refurbished Soviet-era Kuznetsov-class ship, now renamed the Liaoning, was declared “combat ready” in November by Senior Capt. Li Dongyou, the political commissar onboard the ship as it departed for a training cruise that included a stopover at the purpose-built pier at the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) base near Sanya on Hainan island on the edge of the South China Sea.
The ship sailed with a battle group comprising of several PLAN destroyers, frigates and corvettes, while the Liaoning itself carried more than a dozen Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark carrier-borne fighters and several Harbin Z-9 and Changhe Z-18 helicopters onboard, including at least two Z-18J airborne early warning (AEW) helicopters.
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More News On China's Aircraft Carrier Program
China may deploy 2nd aircraft carrier near South China Sea -- Times of India/PTI
China's second aircraft carrier 'takes shape': media -- Reuters
Beijing’s second aircraft carrier ‘takes shape’ after two years, nine months of construction: media -- South China Morning Post
Chinese Aircraft Carrier Program to Make New Advances in 2017 -- Sputnik
Will China Go To War? Beijing Building Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, Likely To Be Based Near South China Sea, Reports Say -- IBTimes
