From a training ship to a combat ship to the core of an aircraft carrier formation! Liaoning ship completed "three steps" in ten years

Recently, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy organized the Liaoning aircraft carrier group to conduct training in relevant waters of the Western Pacific. This is the second time this year that the Liaoning ship has gone to the Western Pacific for far-sea training, and this year happens to be the 10th year since the Liaoning ship went to the Western Pacific for deep-sea training for the first time since it was commissioned in 2016. The Liaoning ship has gone from a training ship to a combat ship and then to the core of an aircraft carrier formation. What are the three specific capabilities levels behind these three words?

From "joint exercises" to "actual confrontation"

Guo Xinyu: In October 2024, my country's Liaoning and Shandong ships conducted the first dual-aircraft carrier formation drill in the South China Sea. At that time, it was characterized as a "joint drill." In June 2025, it will also be a dual aircraft carrier, but the expression at this time has become "actual combat confrontation." Do you think this change in expression also represents an improvement in our capabilities?

Military commentator Du Wenlong: Like the previous "joint training", it was "hand in hand" and "shoulder to shoulder", and we needed to fight in a coordinated manner. It is currently called "confrontation training", where you need to find the opponent's shortcomings and launch an attack. If there is no plan to support the situation, the commander, including all combatants, must use their own capabilities to determine the strike plan. In future naval battles, no one can tell you what he will do next. Only by proactively discovering and attacking can you take the initiative in future naval battles.

Guo Xinyu: When the Liaoning fleet leaves the Western Pacific, most of it is a routine training organized according to our annual plan. It is not targeted at specific countries and targets. When the Japanese media reports, they always refer our normal training to confrontation. So what do you think of this interpretation by the Japanese media?

Military commentator Du Wenlong: Our training complies with international law and is a normal training arrangement. Without training, the level cannot be improved and the state cannot be maintained. However, Japan currently observes any normal training by China through tinted glasses. This also shows that Japan amplifies the "China threat" and discredits the normalization of China's normal naval and air training. Its goal is very clear, which is to create conditions for itself to provide various so-called "remilitarization", weapons and equipment updates, and the ability to attack the opponent's bases.

Liaoning ship completed "three steps" in ten years

Guo Xinyu: In the ten years from 2016 to 2026, the Liaoning ship went from a training ship to a combat ship, and then to the core of an aircraft carrier formation. What are the three specific levels of ability behind these three words?

Military commentator Du Wenlong: In ten years, the Liaoning ship has completed the "three-step process". In just ten years, our comprehensive capabilities have made huge leaps. The Liaoning ship is a ship that we modified from foreign ships. Through the modification, we became familiar with the basic principles of aircraft carriers.

So now, we have modified it. From being able to walk and go to sea before, to now being able to fight. Therefore, the command system and weapon system are relatively complete, and various strike capabilities, especially the comprehensive level of carrier-based aircraft, have been significantly improved.

Now through the loading of the information system, including the command system, the Liaoning ship has become the core of the formation and reappeared in the entire formation as a command ship. Its comprehensive combat capabilities, including carrier-based aircraft, missiles and command systems, have made significant leaps. So in the next step, if higher-intensity actual combat training is carried out in the far sea area, the Liaoning ship's combat capabilities can reach a new level.