Aircraft Carrier
Liaoning (Type 001) carrier
Liaoning (Type 001) is China’s first aircraft carrier, rebuilt from the unfinished Soviet Varyag hull and commissioned on 25 September 2012. A conventionally powered ski-jump carrier of about 67,500 tonnes, it carries J-15 fighters and is mainly used for training.
China|Mykolaiv Shipyard / Dalian Shipbuilding Industry (refit)What Is the Liaoning (Type 001) carrier? Overview, History and Development
The hull was launched in 1988 at Mykolaiv in Ukraine as a Kuznetsov-class carrier and bought in 1998 through a Macau company, ostensibly as a floating casino. It was towed to Dalian in 2002, refitted over ten years and commissioned in 2012. Full-load displacement is about 67,500 t, length 304.5 m and beam 75 m. Steam turbines with eight boilers drive four shafts at about 200,000 shp. Speed is quoted at 32 knots, though sea trials suggest about 29.
It is a STOBAR carrier with a 14-degree ski-jump and no catapult, carrying typically 20–24 J-15 fighters and about 15 helicopters, up to 40 or more in surge. Crew is about 2,000. Operational deployments came in 2018, 2020 and 2022, and in 2024 and 2025 with Shandong beyond the second island chain. China now has three carriers: Liaoning, Shandong (Type 002) and Fujian (Type 003). Rivals include Admiral Kuznetsov, Vikrant and Charles de Gaulle.
Liaoning (Type 001) carrier Specifications: Displacement, Speed, Armament and Crew
Liaoning (Type 001) carrier Variants and Versions Compared
Varyag (Kuznetsov class) is the original unfinished Soviet hull launched in 1988 and later sold to China.
Liaoning (Type 001) is the refitted ship commissioned in 2012 as China’s first carrier.
Shandong (Type 002) is the follow-on carrier built in China and commissioned in 2019.
Which Countries Use the Liaoning (Type 001) carrier? Operators and Users
ChinaLiaoning (Type 001) carrier FAQ: Price, Range, Operators and Most Asked Questions
How many aircraft carriers does China have?
China has three aircraft carriers: Liaoning, Shandong and Fujian. Liaoning (Type 001) is the first, commissioned in 2012, and Fujian (Type 003) is the first to use catapults.
Is the Liaoning nuclear powered?
No, Liaoning is not nuclear powered. The Type 001 carrier uses conventional steam turbines with eight boilers driving four shafts, producing about 200,000 shp.
What aircraft does the Liaoning carry?
Liaoning carries J-15 fighters, typically 20–24, plus about 15 helicopters including Z-18 and Z-9 types. It can embark 40 or more aircraft in surge conditions, though ski-jump weight limits restrict strike range.
How big is the Liaoning aircraft carrier?
Liaoning displaces about 67,500 t at full load and is 304.5 m long, with a flight-deck beam of 75 m. Some sources give 60,000 t as the standard displacement.
How did China get the Liaoning?
China bought the unfinished Varyag hull in 1998 through a Macau company, ostensibly as a floating casino. The hull was towed to Dalian in 2002, refitted for ten years and commissioned in September 2012.
Liaoning vs Admiral Kuznetsov: what is the difference?
Liaoning and Admiral Kuznetsov are sister-ship designs from the same Soviet hull family, both STOBAR carriers with ski-jumps. Liaoning is in regular service as a training carrier, while Kuznetsov has been under long-term repair.
