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How Did an Incomplete Soviet Aircraft Carrier Become China s First Carrier?
The story of how China got that ship in the first place may as well be a comedy because the carrier was actually a rogue acquisition for the Chinese military against the wishes of the government in Beijing.
Here s What You Need to Know: The
Liaoning is hardly equal to a U.S. supercarrier in addition to its smaller air wing and lack of a nuclear power plant, its steam turbines are prone to breaking down and the ski-jump deck limits the fuel and weapons load its fighters can carry.
The Story of China’s First Aircraft Carrier
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China’s first ever aircraft carrier was originally purchased from the Ukraine to be a floating casino in Macau. After a series of secretive deals led by an ex-basketball player, a towing expedition through Turkey, and years of development, China finally finished its first aircraft carrier. The carrier is named after the coastal province of Liaoning, located in northeast China.
Last month, the Liaoning was dispatched for the longest exercise training in history. It crossed the Miyako Strait between mainland Japan and the Ryukyu Islands, bypassed the eastern sea of Taiwan, and descended to the South China Sea, near the Nansha Islands, ending its voyage in Qingdao.