Aircraft carrier of China starts sea trial

BEIJING: China’s first home-built aircraft carrier was dispatched for sea trials from a northeastern port city on Sunday as the country makes rapid strides in building a world class navy.

Named Type 001A for now, the 50,000 tonne ship left the Dalian city port in Liaoning province, with firecrackers lit to celebrate the milestone moment in the history of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

The sea trial comes a month after President Xi Jinping called for the building of a world-class navy during one of the biggest naval exercises conducted by China.

Military expert Song Zhongping said the trial will “mainly test basic system functionality and carrier-based aircrafts will participate in combat trials after the carrier is formally delivered to China’s Navy”.

“Weapon systems and carrierbased aircrafts are unlikely to participate in the first sea trial, and combat capability tests will be carried out by PLAN after the carrier is formally delivered to the navy. Before this, its producer may need about six months to finish tests, which means the navy will receive the ship by the end of this year,” Song told the Global Times.

China is rapidly developing its navy, commissioning several fighter ships to add to its fleet.

In 2017, the PLAN had commissioned at least 16 ships comprising mostly large combat vessels. It is also said to be building a guided missile destroyer.

The addition of the aircraft carrier will increase the PLAN’S reach across the oceans.

Last week, Indian Navy chief Adm Sunil Lanba had told HT that PLAN is “here to stay” in the Indian Ocean and its military movement has fuelled concerns about its intent in the region.