Navy's carrier-borne jet force takes off to hit a higher level

A J-15 fighter jet approaches the recovery area of the CNS Liaoning at the end of a training flight. [LI TANG/FOR CHINA DAILY]

The unit is rapidly approaching full strength as more pilots pass rigorous tests to fly the J-15 fighter in all conditions. Zhao Lei reports.

As China's aircraft carrier fleet expands and grows stronger, the People's Liberation Army Navy's carrier-borne fighter jet force is further developing its combat ability and moving toward the goal of gaining full joint-operation capability.

Several groups of Navy pilots are now qualified to take off and land the J-15 fighter jet on the flight deck of the CNS Liaoning, the nation's first aircraft carrier.

Some have been exposed to fierce live fire exercises that included breathtaking combat scenarios, while an elite team has carried out night landings - widely considered the riskiest carrier-based activity - and are therefore capable of undertaking round-the-clock, all-weather operations.

The endeavors and enterprising spirit of the commanders and pilots have seen the unit achieve initial joint-operation capability, according to the PLA Navy.

All of these achievements have been made since 2013, something many foreign observers would probably not have anticipated five years ago, given that the PLA Navy had just begun operating the Liaoning and most of its naval aviation units were based at airports rather than on ships.

Recently, J-15 pilots and their commanders, most of whom are also experienced aviators, have been speaking to the media about their training and the factors behind their impressive progress in the past few years.