China's aircraft carrier conducts combat drills with full battle group in South China Sea amid Taiwan tensions
The Hindu
The Shandong — China's second aircraft carrier and the first domestically built — recently held comprehensive drills in the South China Sea in a group consisting of full combat elements
A Chinese aircraft carrier, which raised eyebrows by undergoing overhaul and upgrades just over two years after its launch, held combat drills in the South China Sea with its full battle group, consisting of a flotilla of naval ships, including a nuclear submarine, as Beijing ratcheted tensions over Taiwan.
The Shandong — the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's second aircraft carrier and the first domestically built — recently held comprehensive drills in the South China Sea in a group consisting of full combat elements, which analysts said showed that the carrier is becoming ready for far sea operations, state-run Global Times reported on Friday.
Shandong conducted realistic combat-oriented exercises in an undisclosed area in the South China Sea in early autumn to comprehensively test the force's combat capabilities, the report said, quoted a PLA South Sea Fleet press note released on Wednesday.
During the drills, the Shandong hosted take-off and landing operations of J-15 carrier-based fighter jets, and practised replenishment-at-sea operations, the press note said.
A video attached to the press note showed that the aircraft carrier manoeuvred in a combat group featuring a Type 055 large destroyer, a Type 052D destroyer, a Type 054A frigate and a Type 901 comprehensive supply ship.
Generally speaking, a nuclear-powered attack submarine would also be part of an aircraft carrier group, the report quoted a defence expert as saying.
Shandong’s drills in the South China Sea with full complement of its combat group comes at a time when China has ratcheted its military drills near Taiwan after the recent visit of U. S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the highest-level visit by a U. S. official in 25 years, sparking off tensions in the region.
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