China has practically completed the restoration of the ex-Soviet heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Varyag, acquired in 1998.
The cruiser will be used for personnel training and as a prototype for a promising national aircraft carrier, Agence France-Presse reported, citing Andrei Chan, editor-in-chief of Canvas Defense Review.
The Varyag was laid down on the stocks of the Black Sea shipyard in Nikolaev in the early 1980s. Since January 1992, due to a lack of funds, work on the ship was stopped, and in 1994 Russia finally refused to participate in the completion of the ship.
In 2000, the unfinished cruiser Varyag (the volume of work performed was 76%) was purchased in Ukraine for $ 20 million by a Chinese company located in Macau with the stated purpose of converting it into a floating casino.
According to experts, with the purchase, China was able to obtain all the design and technical documentation for the cruiser.
Since 2002, the aircraft carrier has been deployed to a shipyard in Dalian. Officially, China has never announced that it is repairing the cruiser. However, according to A. Chan's assessment, at the moment the interior of the ship has been restored by 100%. The renovation process included the installation of boilers, power and electronic systems, and the restoration of living quarters and engines. The hull and deck have also been refurbished.
According to A. Chan, the restoration work was carried out at a very fast pace.
At the moment, it remains to complete the installation of the radar.
Tests of carrier-based fighters, which are supposed to be placed on the ship, are already underway. According to the expert, the aircraft carrier will be able to go to sea in the near future.
China's demonstration of growing military power is a growing concern overseas. On January 11, a prototype of the fifth-generation Chinese stealth combat aircraft J-20 performed its maiden flight.
According to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, Admiral M. Mullen, "China is investing in modern high technology, many of which are probably specifically focused on countering the United States."
