Second Chinese Aircraft Carrier Commissioned Today! 002-Class CV17 SHANDONG

At it's projected base in Sanya on Hainan Island, China's second aircraft carrier was commissioned today. The 002-Class CV17 SHANDONG is the first entirely Chinese-built carrier in PLAN service.  The similar CV16 LIAONING was completed using the hull of ex-Soviet VARYAG, and SHANDONG represents an incremental design improvement.

SHANDONG was laid down at the Dalian shipyard, the same one where LIAONING was assembled.  SHANDONG took approximately six tears from it's project announcement to commissioning.

Project Announcement 30 Aug 2013
Construction Start) 18 Jan 2014
Earliest photo of assembly 10 Mar 2015
Vessel launch 26 April 2017
Commissioning 16 Dec 2019

It's expected the next Chinese carrier will be built in Shanghai at the Jiangnan Shipyard, a new design with incremental improvements over the 002-Class.