China took another step toward legitimizing its Soviet-purchased aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, on Sunday when five pilots of J-15 fighter jets successfully landed on the carrier, led by squadron leader Dai Mingmeng. Even though experts say it’ll be at least four years before the Liaoning is “fully combat capable,” according to China Daily, Sunday’s exercise was nonetheless a milestone for the People’s Liberation Army…
…for netizens to poop on.
Take a look at the above video (just resign yourself to the fact that it’s set to Gangnam Style; it’s been viewed 464,000 times in the last day). Here’s a screenshot via Ministry of Tofu:
As Ministry of Tofu writes: “This is a screen grab of a news segment about the successful take-off and landing of J15. In the image, two flight deck crew members, also known as shooters, give a hand signal they’ve copied from the U.S. navy to the pilot to launch the fighter jet. Chinese netizens immediately picked up the amusing-looking signal and gave it their own little twists.”
Actually, that particular screen grab shows two men wearing rabbit ears pretending to shoot dead a carrot tree. But, you know… Liaoning, military, war, rabbits, what’s the difference? We’re all dead in the end, might as well laugh along the way.
While we’re on the subject, remember to pour one out for Luo Yang, 51, general director of the J-15 research team, who died of a heart attack aboard the Liaoning on Sunday morning following the successful take-off and landing tests. Poor guy: lived just long enough to see the fulfillment of his life’s dream.
Update, 5:06 pm: With thanks to Kevin Ma:
Those rabbit eared dudes: sort of like a modified Usain Bolt.