Navy's carrier battle group back after drill

Liaoning and its escort vessels complete over-40-day, long-range deployment in South China Sea and western Pacific Ocean

A carrier battle group of the People's Liberation Army Navy, led by the aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning, concluded a long-range training deployment and returned to its homeport of Qingdao, Shandong province, on Monday, according to the PLA Navy. 

In a statement, the PLA Navy said the carrier battle group spent more than 40 days conducting realistic combat-oriented exercises in the South China Sea and the western Pacific Ocean.

During the training period, Japanese vessels and aircraft repeatedly conducted close-range surveillance near the Chinese naval formation. The Liaoning group maintained a high state of alert when encountering these vessels and aircraft, and deployed carrier-based fighter jets to respond to what it described as unsafe actions by the Japanese side in a professional and prudent manner, according to the statement.

Video clips released by the PLA Navy showed several Japanese military aircraft and JS Asahi, a destroyer of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, operating in close proximity to Chinese vessels, posing potential safety risks for both sides.

The PLA Navy said that since departure, the Liaoning and its escort vessels had conducted continuous training throughout the voyage, sailing across multiple sea areas. 

During the deployment, the group created realistic training scenarios, built a robust early-warning and detection system, simulated complex battlefield environments, and followed practical exercise plans.

Sailors and pilots participated in a series of drills covering air combat and air defense, anti-ship strikes, battlefield support, joint search and rescue, and live-fire exercises.

The group also carried out multiple rounds of day-and-night carrier-air wing and ship-aircraft integrated exercises to verify its strike and defense capabilities, and conducted targeted training for core combat elements, the PLA Navy said, noting that these activities effectively tested the battle group's joint operational capability in long-range deployments.

In a designated area in the western Pacific, the Liaoning carrier battle group held joint exercises with an amphibious assault group led by CNS Anhui, a Type 075 amphibious assault ship. According to the PLA Navy, both formations conducted integrated training to enhance coordinated far-sea combat operations.

Song Zhongping, a retired PLA Rocket Force officer and military affairs commentator, said in light of the PLA Navy having commissioned new carrier-based aircraft and warships, it was necessary to explore and optimize new tactics. 

"The carrier group needs to build operational synergy with new types of warships, such as amphibious assault ships, through joint training. A combined strike group made up of aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships can carry out a range of complex missions. Carriers are responsible for securing air and maritime superiority, while amphibious assault ships take charge of landing, occupying and defending islands," he said.

Commenting on the Japanese side's close-range activities, Song said, "No matter whether the actions came from Japanese or United States vessels and aircraft, they effectively served as a simulated adversary. Such forces have, in effect, acted as 'Blue Force' elements and de facto training partners, helping improve the quality of combat-oriented training. We take these activities as a realistic operational backdrop, making the training more authentic and challenging. This is, in fact, a positive outcome."

The Liaoning was commissioned into the PLA Navy in September 2012, becoming China's first aircraft carrier and, at the time, the largest warship in the fleet. To date, the Liaoning has participated in more than 10 long-range training and exercise deployments, mostly in the western Pacific Ocean.