China's first aircraft carrier - completed from the hulk of the Soviet-era Project 1143.6 heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Varyag - began its long-anticipated first sea trials from Dalian in northeast Liaoning province on 10 August. Quoting military sources, China's state-run Xinhua news agency said the initial trials period would be short, with further refit and testing work to follow. The ex-Varyag was a short takeoff but arrested recovery (STOBAR) carrier originally ordered for the Soviet Navy but never completed. Construction work at the Cher-nomorksy shipyard in Nikolayev, Ukraine, stopped in 1992 with the vessel iust 70 per cent complete.
展开▼
