Today, December 17, the aircraft carrier Shandong sailed back into port at Sanya, Hainan, marking the close of its final training mission of 2025 and the sixth anniversary of its commissioning into the PLA Navy.
As the first carrier self-designed and built by the Chinese mainland, Shandong has led a series of significant exercises over six years, including drills like Joint Sword-2024B and Strait Thunder-2025A.
The return to Sanya wraps up an intensive year of flight operations and fleet training, showcasing the growing expertise of the crew and the carrier’s evolving role.
With 2026 on the horizon, Shandong is poised to chart new courses and set fresh benchmarks for carrier operations across the South China Sea and beyond.
Reference(s):
Aircraft carrier Shandong concludes year's last training mission
cgtn.com
