Carrier returns to Dalian after long mission

The Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning has returned to Dalian on the northeastern coast amid speculation by military experts that it will undergo its first overall maintenance.

Maintenance work could take about six months at a Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co dry dock, Cao Weidong, a researcher at the Naval Military Studies Research Institute of the People's Liberation Army, told Beijing News on Tuesday.

During maintenance, engineers review a ship's design, cabin layouts, materials and construction to discover defects and fix them, Cao said.

A maintenance stop would mean the Liaoning, the nation's first and only aircraft carrier, would not take part in the multinational drill in Qingdao, Shandong province, involving 19 ships from eight countries, including China, Pakistan, Malaysia and Singapore, which begins on Wednesday.

Qingdao is the carrier's home port.

More than two weeks ago, the Liaoning welcomed its first foreign guest since being commissioned in September 2012 in the People's Liberation Army navy. To show its transparency in military affairs, China invited United States Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel for a two-hour tour of the carrier on April 7.

In August, the ship docked in Dalian, where some of its equipment was examined and maintained, said Li Jie, another navy expert.

"The maintenance cycle is determined by the distance a carrier has traveled and its operational time since the last maintenance," Li said. "The Liaoning has sailed a long way since it joined the navy, especially since it began a large-scale training mission in the South China Sea in December, so many large parts should be checked and replaced."

The maintenance work in August did not involve large components, he said.

Cui Yiliang, a shipping and naval armaments expert in Beijing, said the intensive use of the carrier might have exposed some minor defects that shipyard engineers will have to work on.

"I don't think large parts will be changed, because it has been in the navy for less than two years," he said.

Since the Liaoning entered active service, its crew and pilots have undergone rigorous training and testing.

During a 37-day exercise in the South China Sea in December, the carrier conducted more than 100 drills and training projects, testing the stress resistance of its structure, sailing speed in deep water, navigational capabilities and weapons and equipment reliability.

During the exercise, it also took part in a formation drill with other Chinese ships and submarines, a move observers say could indicate that a Liaoning battle group has taken shape.

Meanwhile, navy pilots have been honing their skills for carrier-based operations.

A promotional video released on Monday by the Aviation Industry Corp of China - the nation's leading aircraft manufacturer and maker of the J-15, the carrier fighter jet used on the Liaoning - shows several pilots performing takeoff and landing drills.

Although the video was applauded by military enthusiasts, who said China is moving progressively toward building a combat-ready carrier battle group, experts suggested it will take decades for Chinese pilots to match their US peers in experience and combat skills.

zhaolei@chinadaily.com.cn