Beijing, September 23 - China's aircraft carrier capability has just made a stunning leap forward, marking a pivotal moment in the evolution of its naval power projection. On September 22, 2025, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) announced a groundbreaking achievement aboard the CNS Fujian, its most advanced aircraft carrier to date. During intensive sea trials in the South China Sea, the Fujian successfully conducted electromagnetic catapult-assisted takeoffs and arrested landings with a trio of next-generation aircraft: the J-35 stealth fighter, the upgraded J-15T multirole fighter, and the KJ-600 airborne early warning and control plane. This milestone, confirmed through official footage released by the Chinese navy, represents the first operational demonstration of China's domestically developed Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), a technology previously exclusive to the U.S. Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford-class carriers. At over 80,000 tons displacement and 316 meters in length, the Fujian, launched in June 2022 and now nearing commissioning, embodies Beijing's rapid ascent in carrier-based aviation, enabling faster launch cycles, heavier payloads, and sustained swarm attack potential that could redefine maritime dominance in the Indo-Pacific region.
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The Fujian's technological edge stems from its CATOBAR (Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) configuration, a dramatic departure from the ski-jump ramps on China's earlier carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong. These conventional carriers, while operational since 2012 and 2019 respectively, limited aircraft to STOBAR (Short Take-Off But Arrested Recovery) launches, restricting fuel loads and weapon capacities to about 60-70% of optimal levels. In contrast, Fujian's three EMALS catapults, integrated with an advanced power grid, allow for precise, high-frequency ejections of up to 40 aircraft, including stealth platforms like the twin-engine J-35, which entered production in early 2025. The J-15T variant, reinforced for catapult stresses, brings enhanced electronic warfare and precision strike capabilities, while the KJ-600 provides real-time radar surveillance over vast ocean expanses, spotting threats at distances exceeding 400 kilometers. These integrations, tested during the carrier's ninth sea trial starting September 10, 2025, after transiting the Taiwan Strait, underscore China's mastery of integrated electric propulsion and modular deck design. With over 100 days of cumulative sea trials since May 2024, including electromagnetic compatibility checks in March 2025, the Fujian is poised for full service by late 2025 or early 2026, potentially aligning with the PLA's 100th anniversary celebrations.
This advancement amplifies China's aircraft carrier program into a formidable triad of vessels, each contributing to a layered strategy of regional deterrence and global reach. The Liaoning, a refitted Soviet-era hull, serves primarily as a training platform, honing pilot skills in the Yellow Sea. The Shandong, a near-70,000-ton indigenous build, has demonstrated dual-carrier operations in the western Pacific alongside the Liaoning in June 2025, projecting power amid escalating tensions in the East China Sea. Now, Fujian's entry elevates this fleet to supercarrier status, capable of supporting not just fighters but also uncrewed systems and cargo transports for extended missions. Experts note that the EMALS enables "massive deck load strikes," where squadrons can surge into the air within minutes, overwhelming adversaries through sheer volume and stealth integration. As China constructs its fourth carrier, Type 004, with nuclear propulsion underway since 2024, this leap positions the PLAN to sustain three-carrier rotations: one in maintenance, one in training, and one in forward deployment. Such operational tempo could extend Chinese influence into the Indian Ocean and beyond, securing vital sea lanes for energy imports and trade routes that handle over 60% of global maritime commerce.
The implications of China's aircraft carrier breakthrough ripple across the strategic landscape, signaling a peer competitor's emergence in carrier warfare. With the world's largest navy by hull count, over 370 warships, the PLAN now rivals U.S. carrier strike groups in sortie generation rates, potentially challenging American primacy in contested waters like the South China Sea. The Fujian trials, including formation flights with J-15D electronic warfare jets, highlight a maturing ecosystem of carrier-based aviation that integrates hypersonic munitions and drone swarms, as previewed in Beijing's September 3, 2025, military parade. This isn't merely incremental progress; it's a quantum shift toward blue-water supremacy, where electromagnetic catapults ensure reliable operations in adverse weather, minimizing downtime from mechanical failures common in steam-powered systems. As commissioning approaches, possibly as early as August 2025, the Fujian will anchor China's "three carrier era," fostering alliances in the Belt and Road Initiative while deterring provocations near Taiwan and the Senkaku Islands. In an era of hybrid threats, this stunning leap forward in aircraft carrier capability cements Beijing's vision of a multipolar maritime order, compelling global navies to recalibrate their doctrines and investments in response to a revitalized Asian powerhouse.