China's Liaoning Carrier Conducts Naval Operations Near Japan

• •China's Liaoning carrier group is conducting naval operations near Japan.
• •Japanese forces scrambled fighter jets in response to Chinese aircraft activity.
• •The Liaoning has transitioned from a training ship to a combat-capable warship over ten years.

China's Liaoning aircraft carrier group completed its second Western Pacific training deployment of 2026, marking a decade since its first such voyage in 2016. The carrier was first detected by Japanese forces on October 13, 2026, along with two Renhai-class destroyers and a Luyang III-class destroyer. Japanese fighter jets scrambled in response to Chinese carrier-based aviation activity observed approximately 250 kilometers south of Ishigaki Island. The naval group sailed southeast between Okinawa and Miyako-jima on October 14, and by October 15, it was confirmed heading toward the South China Sea. The Liaoning, originally built in Ukraine, has evolved from a training ship to a combat-capable warship over the past ten years. The operation coincided with the U.S.-Japan military exercise, Keen Sword, running from October 19 to 29, 2026.