The Taiwanese TV station Sanlih recently reported that the Mainland Navy sent the Liaoning carrier to the South China Sea for exercises and sailed past Taiwan during the New Year’s holiday. The Mainland media emphasized that the J-15 fighter jets were the carrier’s biggest highlight. However, the Taiwanese Air Force also sent F-16 jets to monitor the Liaoning carrier’s performance during the exercises. Taiwanese military experts concluded that the carrier could reach 30 percent of its capabilities in real combat. They gave an example that J-15 jets did not participate in night exercises, which is a critical matter for all-time combat conditions. The carrier’s total number of J-15 jets is also too limited. The Mainland does not have the minimally required 40 pilots. The carrier’s runway is also considered an outdated design and is inefficient. The Taiwanese called the carrier a “paper tiger.”
Source: Sanlih News, January 3, 2017
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