High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Liaoning (16), is the first aircraft carrier commissioned into the People`s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Originally laid down as the Admiral Kuznetsov class multirole aircraft carrier Riga for the Soviet Navy, she was launched on December 4, 1988 and renamed Varyag in 1990. The stripped hulk was purchased in 1998 by the People`s Republic of China and towed to Dalian Shipyard in north eastern China. After being completely rebuilt and sea trials, the ship was commissioned into the PLAN as Liaoning on September 25, 2012.