Liaoning is the People's Liberation Army Navy's first aircraft carrier and the lead Type 001 ship. Rebuilt from the unfinished Soviet Varyag hull, it entered Chinese service in 2012 as a ski-jump STOBAR carrier, then became the PLAN's main carrier-aviation training platform while undergoing major refits at Dalian.
ChinaPower and USNI describe the original hull as a Soviet carrier laid down in Mykolaiv before the project was later renamed Varyag.
Forces News and ChinaPower report that the unfinished hull was sold in 1998 and later moved toward China under a civilian cover story.
USNI and ChinaPower describe the hull's 2002 arrival at Dalian Shipyard, where the rebuild and completion effort began.
GlobalSecurity reports Liaoning entering Chinese service on 25 September 2012 as the PLAN's first aircraft carrier.
ChinaPower describes a major refit period beginning in 2018, with aviation and island work tied to carrier modernization.
Naval News reported Liaoning back at sea after refit work at Dalian.
Global Times reported Liaoning leaving Dalian for sea trials after a full year of refurbishment.
USNI's air-wing review describes Liaoning's deck aviation as centered on J-15 fighters, with Z-18F antisubmarine helicopters, Z-18J airborne early warning helicopters, and Z-9 utility helicopters. The mix shows a carrier optimized for training, deck handling, and mixed fixed-wing and rotary-wing operations.
| Role | Aircraft | Documented use |
|---|---|---|
| Carrier fighter | Shenyang J-15 | Main fixed-wing combat aircraft flown from the ski-jump deck. |
| ASW helicopter | Changhe Z-18F | Helicopter support for antisubmarine warfare and screening. |
| AEW helicopter | Changhe Z-18J | Airborne early warning coverage for the carrier group. |
| Utility helicopter | Harbin Z-9 | Rescue and shipboard utility duties. |
