--- title: "Watch China launch planes from its only aircraft carrier" date: "2020-02-04" modified: "2020-10-22" authors: - name: "Logan Nye" job_title: "Senior Contributor, Army Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/logan-nye/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/articles/watch-china-launch-planes-from-its-only-aircraft-carrier/" categories: - "Aircraft" - "Tactical" tags: - "China" --- # Watch China launch planes from its only aircraft carrier ![]() Carriers are awesome. Even bad carriers are awesome. They're floating fortresses with airstrips on the roof. They're the original man-made islands. --- And that's why, potential adversary or no, China's single aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, is pretty cool. It's a smaller carrier built on a rusted relic purchased from Ukraine in 1998 after the collapse of the Soviet Union. ![]() *(Photo: YouTube/CGTN)* The former Soviet carrier was [destined for a glitzy life as a floating casino](), but the Chinese company that bought it gave the hull to the People's Liberation Navy and it was treated for corrosion, given new engines and other major systems, and sent back to sea as the Liaoning, a combatant and training ship. Now, the Liaoning is China's only aircraft carrier in service, though another is almost ready for commissioning and more are reportedly under construction. The ship supports up to 24 J-15 fighters, though [it typically carries fewer](). ![]() *(Photo: YouTube/CGTN)* The Liaoning is a [darling of the Chinese propaganda effort](), and its [J-15 "Flying Shark" fighters are popular]() as well. See China's recent video of their launching J-15s off the Liaoning into the South China Sea below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi_Apiq3BMI ## Author Logan was an Army journalist and paratrooper in the 82nd. Now, he's a freelance writer covering military history, culture, and technology. He has two upcoming podcasts and a Twitch channel focused on basic military literacy. ### Author social links [Twitter]() [Facebook]()