China's aircraft carrier formation holds training, tests

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 13:35, December 24, 2016

BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- A naval formation consisting of aircraft carrier Liaoning, several destroyers and frigates was on training and testing missions last week, military sources said on Saturday.

The activities also involved several J-15 carrier-borne fighter jets and helicopters.

On Friday, several J-15 took off from the Liaoning, carrying out assignments including air refueling and air confrontation in the Yellow Sea. The training was guided by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Commander Wu Shengli.

The training "strengthened the synergy among different vessels in the formation and refined its overall capability."

The training and tests were normal arrangements in accordance with annual plan made by the navy.

Since it was commissioned in 2012, the Liaoning has been carrying out the training and tests steadily.

Prior to the latest training and tests, the aircraft carried formation held a live ammunition drill in the Bohai Sea.