While there hasn’t been an official confirmation yet, the Fujian aircraft carrier of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China is reportedly making final preparations for what will eventually be the start of its sea trials. At the moment, there is limited information available beyond preliminary announcements indicating that this stage had already commenced today.
The anticipation surrounding the Fujian is understandable, as it is the first aircraft carrier designed and built entirely by China, unlike the Liaoning and Shandong, which are based on the Admiral Kuznetsov class, with the former being more closely aligned. Moreover, the third capital ship incorporates a series of new features, the most prominent being the inclusion of new electromagnetic catapult systems, similar to those adopted by the Gerald R. Ford class of the United States Navy.
Since its launch in mid-2022, the Fujian (18) has undergone various tests in port, focusing on ship management systems, as well as power generation and propulsion. Over the past few months, mock-ups of aircraft that would comprise its future Carrier Air Wing have also been observed on its flight deck.
In this regard, the Fujian will also stand out as it would incorporate new versions of the current Chinese Navy’s carrier-based fighter, the J-15, which has been primarily modified to operate with the carrier’s new launch and recovery systems. Additionally, it is worth noting the development of the future fifth-generation stealth fighter J-35 and the carrier-based airborne early warning and control aircraft KJ-600.
At the time of this publication, the colossal vessel, weighing nearly 72,000 tons and measuring 320 meters in length, still remains at the Jiangnan shipyard facilities located in the Yangtze River port, with tugboats present around it. It is anticipated that the start of sea trials for the Fujian aircraft carrier will be widely publicized by the media outlets of the People’s Republic of China, showcasing the enormous and continuous advancements that the Asian Giant has been making over the past decades.
*Ongoing news.
You may also like: A Chinese Air Force H-6MW bomber was spotted in flight carrying a new and strange object on its ventral section
