After completing a series of sea trials with its future embarked air wing—mainly composed of the new J-15T and J-35 fighters—the Chinese Navy’s aircraft carrier Fujian returned to its port on Hainan Island to conclude activities and assess its performance. Notably, local observers managed to photograph the vessel moored in the city of Sanya, specifically at the same pier where the carrier Shandong of the same service was located. This marked the first time such an occurrence has taken place.
Alongside its return, Chinese state-affiliated media reported that the recent sea trials successfully verified the functioning of the carrier’s new electromagnetic catapults, which set it apart from its two predecessors, the aforementioned Shandong and the Liaoning. In detail, it was revealed that the Fujian managed to launch both its J-15T and J-35 fighters as well as its KJ-600 airborne early warning and control aircraft, a development said to bring the carrier several steps closer to entering service.
In line with this, Chinese analysts expressed optimism about the progress of the Navy’s most advanced carrier, stating that the latest trials certified the operational capability of both its catapult and arresting systems. Concretely, it has even been suggested that the carrier could be ready to enter combat operations within a year, while its crew will continue to participate in more intensive exercises prior to that milestone.
Furthermore, experts cited in the reports suggested that the Asian giant may soon be able to form new strike groups combining the Fujian with its predecessors, which lack the ability to operate early warning aircraft. This would facilitate joint operations and extend the older carriers’ situational awareness capabilities. They also emphasized that having a larger number of carriers allows one vessel to recover deployed aircraft in the event of technical issues affecting another’s flight deck.
Finally, it is worth noting that the Chinese Navy is also preparing to advance the certification of its new Type 076 Sichuan, whose sea trials are expected in the near future. This is significant, as the ship is believed capable of deploying GJ-11 drones in addition to a wide range of helicopters, including the Z-9, Z-18, Z-20, and Ka-28/31. According to the Navy, this would provide an even broader spectrum of combat and surveillance capabilities, while leaving open the possibility that future carriers could also operate unmanned aerial systems.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
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