China's PLA Navy holds historic dual aircraft carrier exercises in SC Sea

In a significant development, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy executed dual aircraft carrier formation exercises for the first time in the South China Sea, as confirmed by the navy.

This milestone reflects China's ambition to enhance its naval capabilities and prepare for a wider array of complex maritime operations amid ongoing territorial disputes in the region, Channel News Asia (CNA) reported.

The exercises involved the Liaoning and Shandong, China's two active aircraft carriers, which operated together in a coordinated formation. According to a post on the PLA Navy's official Weibo account, the training manoeuvre extended into the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and back to the South China Sea, underscoring the extensive operational range of the navy's carrier strike groups.

"In the South China Sea, the Liaoning and Shandong ship formations conducted a dual carrier formation exercise for the first time to hone and improve the combat capability of the aircraft carrier formation system," the statement read.

Conducting exercises with two aircraft carriers and their accompanying support vessels necessitates a high degree of operational flexibility, reported CNA.

This capability is crucial for demonstrating the PLA Navy's ability to deploy and sustain significant air and sea power in the face of potential challenges.

The PLA emphasised that such exercises not only bolster their combat readiness but also serve as a formidable deterrent to possible adversaries in the region.

While the Liaoning and Shandong are fully operational, China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, was unveiled in June 2022 and is currently undergoing sea trials, CNA reported.

The advancement of China's carrier fleet is a strategic move that highlights the nation's growing naval power and its aspirations to assert greater influence over disputed waters in the South China Sea, where it has been embroiled in territorial disputes with several neighbouring countries.