LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM (1st April 2009) – Jane’s Navy International reported, “According to a report by the U.S. government, China's ambitions to build an aircraft carrier force are unlikely to be realised before 2015. China is continuing work to reactivate the ex-Russian carrier Varyag and interest remains in the purchase of Su-33 aircraft from Moscow.”

Commodore Stephen Saunders, editor of Jane's Fighting Ships, commented that the refurbishment of the ex- Varyag continues "and it is likely that the ship will emerge from Dalian in the next few years to perform, initially, a training role.”

"It has always been difficult to gauge progress in this project, given the lack of information about the original material state of the ship, but there seems little doubt that refit work is proving to be more technically demanding and time-consuming than originally intended, a situation which many other navies will find familiar.”

Saunders concluded, "Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that any indigenous programme will have been similarly delayed. As yet there are no firm indications of building at any of the major dockyards and it is quite possible that the initiation of such a prestigious project would be publicised at the time."