PLAN Carrier Operations..News, Videos & Photos

Originally Posted by Franklin

China's aircraft carrier platform which had berthed in the Dalian Port set sail again at around 9 o'clock on May 23, 2012.

From 08:00 of May 23, six tugboats approached the aircraft carrier platform successively and lined up by the bow, port side and stern of the aircraft carrier platform.

At 09:00 sharp, the aircraft carrier platform sailed out of the port with the help of the tugboats and into the sea lane for the deep sea 30 minutes later.

The reporter saw at the port that the No.88 Ship of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) which had accompanied the aircraft carrier platform previously did not show up this time.

The Liaoning Maritime Affairs Administration issued LHJ0099 navigation warning at 08:15 on May 21 saying military missions are scheduled from 08:00 of May 22 to 18:00 of June 2 within the waters bounded by five positions. No vessel shall enter the area during the period.

China's aircraft carrier platform sets sail again *|*China Military Power Mashup

Chinese ministry of defence spokesman says that aircraft carrier varyag will get further trials. Wont comment if the carrier will be deployed soon.

Sea trials necessary for China's aircraft carrier: spokesman - Xinhua | English.news.cn

completed 7th sea trial

ex-Varyag sea trials update:

first sea trial (10 august 2011 – 13 august 2011) (3 days)
second sea trial (28 november 2011 – 10 december 2011) (12 days)
third sea trial (20 december 2011 – 29 december 2011) (9 days)
fourth sea trial (7 january 2012 – 16 january 2012) (9 days)
fifth sea trial (19 april 2012 – 30 april 2012) (11 days)
sixth sea trial (7 may 2012 – 16 may 2012) (9 days)
seventh sea trial (23 may 2012 – 1 june 2012) (9 days)

total 62 days at sea in 9 months and 3 weeks

So since April 19 the ship has been at sea 29 days and in harbor 19 days.
Thats not bad.

I have read that the ex-Varyag is now out for it's eighth sea trial. Can some one please check and confirm this ?

Originally Posted by Franklin

I have read that the ex-Varyag is now out for it's eighth sea trial. Can some one please check and confirm this ?

Well, I must confess that I have been "shocked by the amount of time at sea the Shilang has put in", and here again the only real indication of how these trials are going is this rather extensive time on the water, the turn arounds have been breif and must be to the point. I have made the point that they are not hindered by having a doctrine or endless protocol to slow them down, but I would caution, neither are they "kept safe" by same. While we have been speculating about when air ops are going to begin PLAN has been getting her ship shape, and I am quite impressed. While any carrier is impressive, what the PLAN has done with Shilang is astonishing, like seeing an old rusty Norton, returned to pristine condition, only on a thousand times scale. Thanks for keeping us up to date, and like everything else when we quit holding our breath and watching, those air ops will start. To date their progress seems to have been "charmed"?

Well the latest sea trial is not confirmed yet. I read about it on another forum and i was hoping some one here can give some sort of confermation about it. I believe the refitting and reconstruction phase for the ex-Varyag is now behind us and it's now about putting her out to sea to test if all of the installed equipment and technology is working as it should and making fixes and changes if necessary. So you should see her out to sea more often and more frequently. And rather if the biggest test of all the landing and take off of aircrafts from her deck and the testing of the 40 ton elevator has already happend yet we just don't know. There are rumors that it has already happend during the fifth sea trial. A lot of people thinks that the prove will be a J-15 on her deck when she returns to Dalian. I don't believe that since there is no reason for the J-15 to go to Dalian as it can do all the testing and training at sea and then return to Xingcheng for further testing and training.

Has there been any solid confirmation that construction of additional Chinese Aircraft Carriers has started or will that only happen after Shilang has been deployed?

Originally Posted by Air Force Brat

Well, I must confess that I have been "shocked by the amount of time at sea the Shilang has put in", and here again the only real indication of how these trials are going is this rather extensive time on the water, the turn arounds have been breif and must be to the point. I have made the point that they are not hindered by having a doctrine or endless protocol to slow them down, but I would caution, neither are they "kept safe" by same. While we have been speculating about when air ops are going to begin PLAN has been getting her ship shape, and I am quite impressed. While any carrier is impressive, what the PLAN has done with Shilang is astonishing, like seeing an old rusty Norton, returned to pristine condition, only on a thousand times scale. Thanks for keeping us up to date, and like everything else when we quit holding our breath and watching, those air ops will start. To date their progress seems to have been "charmed"?

Brat,

Before any formal name is designated, I think we better call it "Varyag" or "Ex-Varyag". "Shilang" is not a good name and I also believe that it won't the name of China's first aircraft carrier.

Hi SteelBird,

There had been discussion regarding what to call the ex-Varyag previously. I think the conclusion was somewhere along the line of until the PLAN has officially given her a new name, we will call her whatever make sense to each other here in this forum. Varyag, ex-Varyag, Shi Lang, Tianjing, floating casino, etc.

Personally, I don't like the name Shi Lang, since I am one of those who believe it was a name "created" to make the ex-Varyag sound more of a threat to Taiwan ... okay end of political discussion for me; staying well clear of this :P.

Would be interesting to see if the PLAN will follow the USN's approach of naming their carriers (mostly) after important people in their history. Only time will tell.

Now hear this.. we had this argument about the name of the PLAN CV some time ago. I won't allow this discussion again. In this forum refer to the ship as my man Steelbird suggested...

Before any formal name is designated, I think we better call it "Varyag" or "Ex-Varyag". "Shilang" is not a good name.....

Enough said!

bd popeye super moderator

Originally Posted by SteelBird

Brat,

Before any formal name is designated, I think we better call it "Varyag" or "Ex-Varyag". "Shilang" is not a good name and I also believe that it won't the name of China's first aircraft carrier.

Sorry bd, thats what I've been calling my wife, she'll be mad now that steelbird said its a bad name, I wasn't aware anyone was fighting about it, and believe me I know better than to call her a bad name. Sorry Steelbird no disrespect intended.

Varyag out for 8th trial.