PLA sends Liaoning carrier for training and exercises in Western Pacific

The People's Liberation Army Navy has sent its CNS Liaoning aircraft carrier and escort ships to carry out open-sea training and exercises in the Western Pacific Ocean.

The PLA Navy said in a brief statement on Tuesday morning that a carrier task group led by the Liaoning had set sail earlier that day for relevant waters in the Western Pacific to conduct long-distance tactical flight training, live-fire exercises, combat support drills, and joint search and rescue training.

The deployment is intended to test and enhance the realistic combat training capabilities of the forces. It is a routine arrangement based on an annual training plan, and complies with international law and practice, according to the Navy.

The Liaoning is China's first aircraft carrier, having served for nearly 14 years. It usually carries dozens of J-15 fighter jets in deployment, and is widely believed to be capable of supporting operations of the J-35 stealth fighters.

In an ocean-bound deployment, a Chinese carrier group consists of an aircraft carrier, several Type 055 and Type 052D destroyers, some Type 054A frigates, as well as a large supply vessel.