Chinese aircraft carrier programme

Since the 1970s, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has expressed interest in operating an aircraft carrier as part of its blue water aspirations. In 2011, People's Liberation Army Chief of the General Staff Chen Bingde confirmed that China was constructing at least one aircraft carrier. In September 2012, China's first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, was commissioned. Four years later, in November 2016, it was reported that Liaoning is now combat ready. China has confirmed that it is constructing a second carrier that will be built entirely with indigenous Chinese designs. Similar to Liaoning, China's second carrier will also use a ski jump for takeoff.

Since 1985, China has acquired four retired aircraft carriers for study, the Australian HMAS Melbourne and the ex-Soviet carriers Minsk, Kiev and Varyag. Reports stated that up to two 60,000-ton Type 001A aircraft carriers based on Varyag were due to be started by 2015.Sukhoi Su-33s were the aircraft that seemed most likely to be flown from these carriers. However, it seems that China's own multirole fighter, the Shenyang J-15, would instead be the candidate planes flown from them. (J-15 is based on the Su-33s).

Chinese shipyards have gained some exposure to carrier design with the acquisition of retired hulls such as the Australian HMAS Melbourne acquired in 1985. The carrier was not dismantled for many years and according to some reports she was not completely broken up until 2002.

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Wikipedia