SETTING SAIL

Chinas second aircraft carrier， also the first developed and built indigenously， is launched at a Dalian shipyard in northeast Chinas Liaoning Province on April 26.

The carrier began to be built in November 2013. In the next stage of its development， it will undergo outfi tting， when engineers and workers will complete installation of its power plant， interior equipment and systems as well as weapons.

Up to now， the Chinese navy has operated a sole aircraft carrier， the Liaoning， a Soviet-era vessel which received an extensive refi t before going into service in September 2012.