China's Liaoning Carrier Group Conducts Far-Sea Drills
Quick Look
- China's Liaoning carrier group is conducting routine far-sea drills including flight training and live-fire exercises.
- Japan reported Chinese J-15 jets locked fire-control radar on Japanese F-15s near Okinawa.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
China's Liaoning aircraft carrier group is conducting routine far-sea training exercises. Japan has raised concerns about the lack of detail in China's notification and reported an incident where Chinese J-15 fighters locked fire-control radar on Japanese F-15 jets.
The Liaoning-led carrier task group’s training will include far-sea tactical flight, live-fire exercises, and providing support and cover, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
The Chinese navy did not specify the exact location of this week’s training, but said they were routine exercises in line with the military’s annual plan to test and improve combat abilities.
It also did not say how long the exercises would run, but a drill carried out by the Liaoning last May took about a month.
The Liaoning-led group was carrying out flight training of carrier-based aircraft east of the Miyako Strait. China said it had notified Japan of the exercise, but Tokyo complained about the lack of detail in the notice.
Japan said that Chinese J-15 fighters locked fire-control radar – used to direct weapons towards a target – on Japanese F-15 jets in international airspace near Okinawa.
Open Questions
- What is the exact location and duration of the training exercises?
- What was the specific nature of the radar lock incident?
- What is China's precise objective with these far-sea drills?
- How will Japan respond to the radar lock incident?
