Instant Alert: China says its aircraft carrier is combat ready — here's how it stacks up to other world powers'

MANAGE SUBSCRIPTIONS   |   UNSUBSCRIBE   |   VIEW ONLINE   China says its aircraft carrier is combat ready — here's how it stacks up to other world powers' by Alex Lockie on Nov 17, 2016, 11:34 AM Advertisement Almost two decades after buying the hull from Ukraine in 1998, China's sole aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, has finally been declared combat ready. China's aircraft carrier, as well as the rest of its rapidly modernizing navy, puts Beijing in an elite club with the greatest naval powers in the world. The development has raised eyebrows in the Pacific and globally, as China ignores international law, builds and militarizes artificial islands in the South China Sea, and threatens and bullies its neighbors. In the slides below, see how China's Liaoning stacks up to other carriers worldwide: SEE ALSO: Every surface ship in the Chinese navy, in one chart This is China's only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning. Like much of China's military hardware, the Liaoning is a reworking of an older Russian-made model. The Soviet style of carrier, which Russia and China still use, has a different purpose than the US's flat top carriers. Instead of being a truly global strike carrier, these carriers make more sense for coastal defense. The Liaoning's particulars and capabilities sound impressive. Source: Jeff Head Over the last four years, China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) had to build up carrier operations out of nothing. It has never operated an aircraft carrier before, so it faced a steep learning curve. See the rest of the story at Business Insider   Share the latest business news with your network:    Email sent to:   |   Manage your email preferences   |   Unsubscribe Terms of Service   |   Privacy Policy Business Insider. 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011