The Chinese navy's aircraft carrier Shandong conducted a full-process flight support exercise at a military port in Sanya City on the southern tip of the Hainan Island to hone the crew's real-combat skills.
As the siren sounded, flight support personnel in color-coded uniforms quickly rushed to their respective positions and organized a simulated fighter launch, with the fire support team and the medical rescue team on standby in case of emergencies.
During the exercise, the officers and soldiers were suddenly directed to replace arresting cables and conduct a damage control rescue operation to test their emergency response capabilities.
"The drill scenario was random, complicated, and closer to actual combat. It effectively tested the crew's emergency response capabilities. During the training, the officers and soldiers handled the situation in an orderly and coordinated manner," said Xie Tianlizhi, a crew member onboard the aircraft carrier.
China currently operates a fleet of three aircraft carriers. The first, the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet-made vessel, was commissioned in 2012, followed by the Shandong, China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, which was delivered in 2019. The third, the Fujian, was unveiled in 2022 as China's first carrier equipped with a catapult launch system.
The Shandong aircraft carrier has successfully completed more than 10 major training and exercise tasks, including the first live-fire confrontation drill and the first cross-regional maneuver, from near waters to far seas since its commissioning.
In December 2020, the Shandong crossed the Taiwan Strait for cross-regional maneuvers. In May 2021, it went to the South China Sea, safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests. In August 2022, it carried out a drill that actually used weapons. In April 2023, it participated in the "Joint Sword" exercise around the Taiwan Island. In October 2024, it joined the Liaoning to conduct their first-ever dual-carrier formation exercise in the South China Sea, highlighting China's growing naval capabilities.
China's aircraft carrier Shandong conducts full-process flight support exercise
China's aircraft carrier Shandong conducts full-process flight support exercise
