Having commissioned its first aircraft carrier, a refitted vessel originally bought from Ukraine, China plans to build three further carriers that will be domestically designed, reports our sister Chinese-language newspaper Want Daily.
When the Liaoning entered service with the PLA Navy on Sept. 25, it was criticized as a "carrier without aircraft," according to Switzerland-based newspaper 20 Minutes. But with the recent successful takeoff and landing of a J-15 fighter on the Liaoning's flight deck, China is keen to show the world that it is able to operate its own carrier wing.
Using the Russian Su-33 as its blueprint, the J-15 is able to serve as a carrier-based fighter carrying out missions against both aerial and ground targets. The Germany-based Berlin Daily described the Liaoning as a "floating military school" for the PLA because most of the ship's equipment, including its arresting cables, have been designed in China.
Read the full story at Want China Times