Varyag is an ex-Soviet Navy aircraft
carrier constructed in the 1980s. The vessel construction stopped in
1992 after the break up of the Soviet Union. It remained in the
Ukrainian shipyard unfinished until 1998 when a Macau-based Chinese
company bought it for US$20 million. In March 2002, the vessel arrived
in the Dalian Shipyard in northern China for refurbishment and has been
stationed there since then. System installation of the vessel finally
began in 2010/2011, and the vessel is expected to enter service with
the PLA Navy as a training carrier around 2012.
History
Originally named Riga,
Varyag is the second hull of the Soviet Navy Project 1143.5 (Admiral
Kuznetsov class) aircraft carrier. The 67,500t vessel was laid down at
the Nikolayev South Shipyard (formerly Shipyard 444) in Nikolayev on 6
December 1985 and was launched on 4 December 1988. In late 1990s, the
vessel was renamed Varyag. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in
1991, the ownership of the vessel was transferred to Ukraine.
Construction stopped by 1992 as Ukraine was unable to fund the project
by itself. By then, 70% of the construction had been finished. The
vessel was structurally completed but without weapons, electronics, or
propulsion.
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The unfinished Varyag remained at the dock
of the Nikolayev South Shipyard unattended for six years. In the late
1990s, the vessel was put up for auction and it was bought by a
Macau-based Chinese company for US$20 million. The company claimed that
the vessel would be converted into a floating entertainment centre in
Macau, consisting of amusement park, hotel, Casino, restaurant, etc.
The contract with Ukraine prohibited the buyer from using the carrier
for military purposes. Before handing the ship over, the Ukrainians
removed any equipment onboard Varyag that could be used to turn the
vessel into a commissionable warship.
Varyag finally left the
dock of the Nikolayev South Shipyard in 1999, towed by several
high-power tug boats. However, the Turkish government refused the
vessel to pass through the Bosporus Strait on the ground that without
rudder and engine, Varyag posed too great a danger to other ships as
well as facilities in the strait. The vessel was stationed near the
strait for three years, until the PRC government was involved to
resolve the issue. Following some negotiations with the two countries
and handing the Turkish government US$1 million as a guarantee bond,
Varyag was finally allowed to pass through the Bosporus Strait.
Restoration
Varyag arrived in the
Dalian Shipyard in northern China in 2002 and has been stationed there
under tight security since then. It has become clear that the ship
would not become an entertainment centre. Instead the vessel was handed
to the PLA Navy for research and restoration. It was speculated that
following extensive studies the ship would be finally converted into a
fully operational aircraft carrier for training purpose. This was
partially confirmed when the ship emerged from a Dalian Shipyard dry
dock painted in PLAN grey in 2005. The restoration work was completed
in late 2006 and the scaffolding on the ship's bridge has also been
removed.
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System Installation in 2011
System installation
finally began in late 2010. By March 2011 the island of the aircraft
carrier was almost complete, with painting finished and scaffolding
removed. Among various sensors on the island are a ‘Top-Plate-style’
long-range air/sea search radar on the top of the main mask, and four
multifunctional phased array radar panels, possibly similar to those
installed on the Type 052C Luyang-II class destroyers.
Specifications
Displacement: (standard) 67,500 tonnes; (full) 70,500 tonnes
Length: 304m
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