China has begun preparations for the third aircraft carrier. China commenced preparations for the third ship's construction, first of which was purchased from Ukraine, while the construction of the second proceeds.
China's first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, was built in 1988 in the Soviet Navy. The name of the ship was Riga when its keel was first laid. China bought the skeleton of the ship, name of which has been changed as Varyag in 1998. The ship was brought to the country by passing through Istanbul Bosphorus and joined the Chinese Navy in 2012. The name of the third ship to be built is not yet known.
211216-N-QI061-1222 NAVAL STATION MAYPORT, Fla. (December 16, 2021) An MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), assigned to Unmanned Patrol Squadron 19 (VUP-19), sits on the flight line at Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Dec. 16, 2021. VUP-19, the Navy’s first Triton squadron, will continue to maintain and operate the aircraft off the East Coast to further develop the concept of operations and refine tactics, techniques, and procedures. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Nathan T. Beard/ Released)