China's military unveils new warplane ahead of Hagel visit
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}April 9, 2014: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, second from left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping, second from right, during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People. (ap)
China’s military has allowed the public release of the first photographs of a warplane variant deployed on the Liaoning — the aircraft carrier that saw its first visit by U.S. officials this week.
The new Shenyang J-15, also known as the Flying Shark, is based on the Russian SU-33 design and was disclosed on an official Chinese website.
Several photos of the J-15 revealed its tail hook used for carrier deck landings.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The photos were posted on the Global Times website March 31. The news outlet is part of the official Communist Party newspaper group.
“The existence of the J-15 mystery is finally revealed,” the news outlet reported, noting the imperative of training carrier jet pilots for the Liaoning.