Canadian military officials don’t think China’s aircraft Liaoning is much of a threat to anyone

A secret briefing note for Canada’s defense minister revealed that Canadian military officials don’t think China’s sole aircraft carrier Liaoning is much of a threat to anyone.
Canadian officials believe it will be years until China will be able to make full use of the ship’s capabilities and with limitations.
The Liaoning, was unveiled to much fanfare in September 2012 as part of an ongoing Chinese effort to flex its muscles and assert itself as a major player in its neighbourhood and around the globe.
A secret briefing note for defence minister written last December indicates Canadian military officials were largely unimpressed.
Canadian officials acknowledged the aircraft carrier puts China among a handful of countries with the potential ability to launch and recover aircraft at sea, but the note makes clear they believe it will be years until China will be able to make full use of those capabilities, and even then with many limitations.
Canadian officials quoted the deputy commander of the Chinese navy as having “asserted that pilots have ‘mastered’ take-off and landing skills, even under unfavourable conditions such as poor visibility and unstable airflow.”
“The photographs and videos of the drill, however, show a sunny day with a calm sea state.”
Canadian military officials also cited Chinese media reports that five pilots had taken off and landed on the carrier, “though photographs and video of the event show only two planes landing and one plane taking off.”
And they noted that the Liaoning is much smaller and less capable than its American counterparts, while the J-15 fighter jets “used in the drills are themselves test aircraft, with full production many years away.”
“Deck space and layout will be at a premium, since the J-15 will need to run about half the length of the warship at full afterburner for a ramp-assisted launch”(...) “This would make it challenging, if not impossible, to conduct the simultaneous launch and recovery of aircraft.”
The Liaoning was originally built by the Soviet Union as a hybrid cruiser-aircraft carrier and operated under the name Varyag until it was sold to China by Ukraine. Its unveiling as the Liaoning last year came after a decade of Chinese renovations and repairs.
There has been a debate in some circles in recent months over whether Canada should shift more of its military assets, particularly those of the Royal Canadian Navy, towards the Pacific.
Several other countries have already done so, including the United States, which has stated it will maintain 60 per cent of its military in the region.