China's first indigenously built aircraft carrier leaves for sea trials

Beijing: China’s first domestically developed aircraft carrier has left for its sea trials on Sunday, the country’s official media announced here.

The completely home-grown aircraft carrier has departed for sea trials on Sunday morning, state-run China Daily said in a brief report.

China launched the second aircraft carrier in April 2017 after it commissioned the first carrier, the Liaoning, a refitted Soviet Union-made vessel, in 2012.

Though Liaoning has become operational, it is being mostly used for research and improvements for the new carriers China plans to build.

This May 9, 2018, photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency shows China's aircraft carrier Liaoning at a shipyard in Dalian. (Photo: AP)

Reports said China is also building its third aircraft carrier in Shanghai. The country reportedly plans to have four aircraft carriers by 2030 to operate from the disputed South China Sea as well as the Indian Ocean.

Some reports said China is also planning to build a nuclear aircraft carrier.

China has developed a new jet fighter called A J-15 fighter to operate from the decks of its carriers.