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China Lands First Jet on Its First Aircraft Carrier

Underscores China's naval ambitions

By the Associated Press

Posted Nov 25, 2012 10:11 AM CST

(AP) – China has successfully landed a fighter jet on its first aircraft carrier, which entered service two months ago, the country's official news agency confirmed today. The Liaoning aircraft carrier underscores China's ambitions to be a leading Asian naval power, but it is not expected to carry a full complement of planes or be ready for combat for some time. Xinhua News Agency said the landing exercise marked the debut of the J-15 fighter jet, a carrier-based fighter-bomber developed by China from Russia's Sukhoi Su-33.

The Defense Ministry's website carried photos of the jet taking off from and landing on the carrier. Citing unnamed naval sources, Xinhua said that the carrier platform and J-15 capabilities met all requirements and achieved "good compatibility." Xinhua says the J-15 is able to carry anti-ship, air-to-air, and air-to-ground missiles, and precision-guided bombs.

In this undated photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, made available on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, a carrier-borne J-15 fighter jet takes off from China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.
In this undated photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, made available on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, a carrier-borne J-15 fighter jet takes off from China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.   (Zha Chunming)
This undated photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, made available on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, shows a carrier-borne J-15 fighter jet on China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.
This undated photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, made available on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, shows a carrier-borne J-15 fighter jet on China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.   (Zha Chunming)
In this undated photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, made available on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, a carrier-borne J-15 fighter jet lands on China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.
In this undated photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, made available on Sunday, Nov. 25, 2012, a carrier-borne J-15 fighter jet lands on China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.   (Zha Chunming)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 55 comments
Cheshire
Nov 25, 2012 10:57 PM CST
I find it amazing that a super-power, like China, has never had an aircraft carrier until now.
GeorgeL
Nov 25, 2012 9:24 PM CST
I wonder how much the Chinese people involved in building this carrier and these jets were paid to build them.  The only way China can get anything done is by stealing technology and copyrights from other countries and using their large force of slave labor to reproduce it cheaper, and then sell it back to the countries they stole it from in the first place.  Especially the USA.
Rational.-Anarchist
Nov 25, 2012 5:30 PM CST
They are using obsolete or out dated equipment based on 25 year old technology. I really doubt their hardware can even be considered a threat to something like the F-22 Raptor, to name one example. That plane in the picture looks like a poor copy of America's old F-14 Tomcat, which WAS an excellent fighter, but is now out of use. Typical overcompensating for a small penis!

Copyright 2013 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

 
China • fighter jet • aircraft carrier • Chinese navy • Chinese military • China military

 
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