Chinese language Navy Exhibits Service Fujian Conducting Flight Operations

[ad_1] Chinese language official media has launched footage displaying the brand new catapult-equipped supercarrier Fujian conducting mounted wing flight operations.

Official media channels of the Chinese language Navy (PLA) have launched a considerable amount of footage confirming flight operations have begun on the catapult-equipped supercarrier Fujian . The sudden launch first on Chinese language social media, adopted by circulation in Western media similar to X (previously Twitter) has taken the broader on-line commentariat considerably without warning. Fujian is concurrently enterprise her ninth sea trial since Could 2024, for the primary time within the South China Sea.

Video and excessive decision imagery present catapult launches and recoveryfor three varieties of plane. These are the KJ-600 AEWC aircraft and the 2 carrierborne fighter jets, the J-15T and the following era J-35. Moreover, Z-9 mild utility and SAR helicopters are additionally a part of the protection. Whereas coinciding with Fujian’s present cruise, the footage seems up to now between September 2024 and Could 2025.

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-1024x674.jpg.webp 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-300x197.jpg.webp 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-768x505.jpg.webp 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-1536x1010.jpg.webp 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-scaled.jpg.webp 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> <img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="674" src="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-1024x674.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-1024x674.jpg 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-300x197.jpg 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-768x505.jpg 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-1536x1010.jpg 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_bcae981eb9a3ed03d014428bf72733c6-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> J-15T catching a wire of the arrestor gear on provider Fujian . Picture through Chinamil.

Flight operation-footage doubtless dates to earlier in 2025

Probably the earliest scene within the total launch depicts what seems to be an overflight by a KJ-600 approaching the flight deck of Fujian on her fourth sea trial from the third to the twenty first of September 2024. The section is distinct as a result of presence of a number of transport containers on the provider’s flight deck. Moreover, the ahead catapults nonetheless miss their foul strains, which the ship acquired in December 2024. Notably the plane wouldn't have landed onboard, as Fujian acquired the required arrestor gear after the fourth sea trial.

The majority of the imagery and pictures seems up to now to the seventh sea trial Fujian undertook from the 18th of March to the first of April 2025. Circumstantial proof supporting this notion is once more the actual situation of the ship on the time. In a number of photographs the island of Fujian exhibits her principal sensor mast in a definite black paint or draping. Earlier imagery confirmed the provider with this configuration in early March 2025. After getting back from the seventh sea trial, the ship acquired additional upkeep, together with scaffolding across the mast. By the point of the brief eighth sea trial from the twenty first to the twenty seventh of Could 2025 the sensor mast had returned to its common navy gray look.

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-1024x667.jpg.webp 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-300x195.jpg.webp 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-768x500.jpg.webp 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-1536x1000.jpg.webp 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-scaled.jpg.webp 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> <img decoding="async" width="1024" height="667" src="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-1024x667.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-1024x667.jpg 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-300x195.jpg 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-768x500.jpg 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-1536x1000.jpg 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/54805501872_ddc3ebc0a0_o-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> J-15T, J-35 and KJ-600 onboard Fujian . Notice the black sensor mast, doubtless relationship the image to March 2025. Picture through Sinodefenceforum.

Satirically a specific section of the brand new footage displaying a date of March 19, 2025 at 2000 hours promping a number of observers to attract connections to the timing of flight testing doesn't appear to have any direct connection to Fujian. The provider was certainly underway at the moment, having simply left Shanghai the day beforehand. Nonetheless, primarily based on context the brief scene as a substitute seems to allude to PLAN vessels crossing the worldwide dateline. The section goals to focus on the brand new attain of the Chinese language Navy of their transformation to a blue water-force.

Distinguished look of AEWC plane & flightdeck personnel

Flight operations onboard Fujian don't per se come as a shock to routine observers of Chinese language naval modernisation. As Naval Information had reported in July this year , imagery shared earlier this 12 months has already alluded to this truth. Moreover, the ship returned from her sixth sea trial in January 2025 with seen tyre marks on the touchdown strip.

A number of facets are nonetheless notable within the newly launched materials. All observable launches seem to happen from the ahead portside catapult. Whether or not that is simply an artifact of footage enhancing or highlights a deeper purpose similar to completely different states of qualification for the three electromagnetic catapults and different onboard gear stays unclear.

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-1024x540.jpg.webp 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-300x158.jpg.webp 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-768x405.jpg.webp 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-1536x810.jpg.webp 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-340x180.jpg.webp 340w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9.jpg.webp 1869w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> <img decoding="async" width="1024" height="540" src="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-1024x540.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-1024x540.jpg 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-300x158.jpg 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-768x405.jpg 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-1536x810.jpg 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9-340x180.jpg 340w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/008rKb6ply1i5mlpr490qj31ou0u0kb9.jpg 1869w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> The three KJ-600 onboard Fujian . Regardless of a hanging similarity to the E-2 Hawkeye technical resemblance is very superficial. Picture through Chinese language social media.

Strikingly, the provider within the video footage has at least three KJ-600 AEWC plane onboard. The plane carry the serial numbers 7103, 7104 and 7106. This truth could underscore the excessive precedence and good progress of the carrierborne early warning aircraft-effort, which is one of many key capabilities setting Fujian other than her older sisters Liaoning and Shandong. Each of the opposite carriers lack catapults and due to this fact the aptitude to assist fixed-wing AEWC plane.

The footage additionally permits a prolonged take a look at total flight deck operations onboard Fujian . Standing out as soon as once more is the truth that PLAN appears to carefully observe established USN ideas of operation. This issues particularly the colour coding of flight deck personnel. The American observe traces its roots again to experimentation on USS Langley (CV-1) within the Twenties. Nonetheless, the colour code has modified and diverse considerably over time. The present regime is in place since roughly the Nineteen Seventies.

Similarities to the American regime embody yellow jackets for catapult crew and aircraft administrators, blue for elevator operations, common plane dealing with and tractor drivers, and white for security officers and high quality management. Variations are notable for refueling. Assigned Chinese language personnel wears blue jackets, whereas USN crews put on purple.

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-1024x573.jpg.webp 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-300x168.jpg.webp 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-768x430.jpg.webp 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-1536x860.jpg.webp 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-scaled.jpg.webp 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="573" src="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-1024x573.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-1024x573.jpg 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-300x168.jpg 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-768x430.jpg 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-1536x860.jpg 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Crew-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> Flightdeck personnel with J-35 on one in all Fujian’s two plane elevators.

Much like different parallels similar to KJ-600 very carefully resembling the E-2 sequence of AEWC plane it appears logical that PLAN would echo procedures outlined by the preeminent plane carrier-operator on the earth, as a substitute of needlessly formulating a disparate idea of operations.

Key benchmarks met, however some miles to go for operational functionality

In a associated ironic twist PLAN additionally achieved a primary setting the service other than the American reference. The primary EMALS-equipped American supercarrier, CVN-78 Gerald R Ford has but to launch an F-35C. In the meantime, Fujian did showcase the following era J-35 fighter taking to the air with the Chinese language electromagnetic catapult system. The US Congress had imposed finances restrictions over repeated delays and price overruns throughout the development and fielding of CVN-78. Due to this fact the American provider will now prospectively operate F-35C from 2027 . Till then USN and USCM F-35 squadrons will function on licensed carriers of the Nimitz-class.

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-1024x652.jpg.webp 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-300x191.jpg.webp 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-768x489.jpg.webp 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-1536x979.jpg.webp 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-scaled.jpg.webp 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="652" src="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-1024x652.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-1024x652.jpg 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-300x191.jpg 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-768x489.jpg 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-1536x979.jpg 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/16411292_300962079ec011948d9d87aad7480d86-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> J-35 getting ready for take-off onboard Fujian . Picture through Chinamil.

In the meantime Fujian is predicted to wrap up her ongoing ninth sea trial within the close to future. Considerably, the provider could fee with PLAN after this occasion, probably at Sanya on Hainan. Nonetheless, this step very a lot stays to be confirmed in the interim. Even as soon as the ship enters service with the Chinese language Navy, the provider is not going to be operational in any significant sense for a number of years. Fujian will as a substitute proceed with {qualifications} and testing, together with additional flight operations. As soon as the vessel completes all related certification, the primary Chinese language supercarrier will then bear for a while the only weight of qualifying additional personnel and plane for catapult-assisted provider operations. This distinction is barely considerably offset by the looks of the EM-cat equipped Type 076 amphibious assault ship at the moment becoming out at Hudong.

Trying again – and forward

Particulars on the development progress of a fourth plane provider and the second catapult-equipped design stay imprecise. Dalian seems to be within the early levels of associated development. Land-based improvement of a naval nuclear reactor additionally appears to realize momentum. Nonetheless, both side requires additional validation by further data and imagery, earlier than figuring out a reputable schedule for fielding an extra PLAN plane provider.

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-1024x554.jpg.webp 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-300x162.jpg.webp 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-768x415.jpg.webp 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-1536x830.jpg.webp 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-scaled.jpg.webp 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="554" src="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-1024x554.jpg" alt="" srcset="https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-1024x554.jpg 1024w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-300x162.jpg 300w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-768x415.jpg 768w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-1536x830.jpg 1536w, https://www.navalnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/landing-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"/> Fujian will shoulder catapult-assisted provider operations by herself for the rest of this decade. Picture through Chinese language social media.

Uncertainty over future provider fleet growth apart PLAN has within the house of solely twenty years moved from refurbishing an ex-Soviet STOBAR provider to working three plane carriers, two of which the nation constructed domestically. Out of those three the Fujian can be among the many largest and in at the very least some facets most fashionable such designs on the earth. This benchmark, together with now flight operations from Fujian , as soon as once more displays the result of methodical, persistent improvement and modernisation, which the Chinese language Navy continues to maintain at appreciable tempo.