(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has achieved a landmark breakthrough in naval aviation by successfully conducting the first electromagnetic catapult launches and arrested landings of advanced combat aircraft from its newest aircraft carrier, the CNS Fujian (Type 003).

The milestone trials involved the cutting-edge J-35 stealth fighter, the upgraded J-15T multirole fighter, and the carrier-borne KJ-600 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, marking the first time a non-U.S. Navy carrier has executed such advanced operations.

High-definition footage released by Chinese state media showcased the launches, sending an unmistakable message that Beijing is accelerating its drive to field a modern, blue-water navy capable of rivaling Western carrier strike groups.

The Fujian, China’s third and most technologically advanced carrier, is equipped with the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), a technology once considered the preserve of the U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class supercarriers.

This achievement highlights China’s rapid climb up the ladder of naval technology, while underscoring Beijing’s determination to assert maritime dominance across the Indo-Pacific amid intensifying disputes over Taiwan, the South China Sea, and strategic sea lanes critical to global trade.

The event also demonstrates China’s growing confidence, as the PLAN openly broadcast the trials, breaking from the secrecy that had characterized earlier stages of its carrier program.

The CNS Fujian: Blueprint of China’s Naval Ambition

Launched in June 2022 and commencing sea trials in May 2024, the 80,000-ton CNS Fujian represents the centerpiece of China’s naval modernization.

At 316 meters long with a beam of 76 meters, the carrier is the largest warship ever built outside the United States, putting China in a league previously reserved for global superpowers.

Unlike the ski-jump equipped Liaoning (Type 001) and Shandong (Type 002), the Fujian fields three EMALS catapults that allow the launch of heavier aircraft with maximum fuel and weapons loads, significantly expanding combat radius and sortie generation rates.

This transition from ski-jump to catapult operations reflects a doctrinal shift from coastal defense to far-seas power projection, enabling Beijing to field carrier strike groups with strategic reach across the Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and beyond.

The Fujian is expected to host between 50 and 65 aircraft, including stealth fighters, AEW&C platforms, electronic warfare assets, anti-submarine helicopters, and potentially unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) in the future.

Commissioning of the Fujian is anticipated by late 2025, marking the beginning of what Chinese analysts describe as the PLAN’s “three-carrier era,” with Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian forming a rotation cycle for continuous operational presence.

Aircraft at the Forefront of Trials

The catapult launches involved three aircraft that define the future of Chinese carrier aviation.

J-35 Stealth Fighter

The J-35, also known as the FC-31 naval variant, is China’s answer to the U.S. Navy’s F-35C.

It is a fifth-generation carrier-borne fighter with radar-absorbing coatings, internal weapons bays, and sensor fusion capabilities designed to penetrate modern air defense networks.

The carrier version features reinforced landing gear, folding wings, and catapult-compatible launch bars, enabling full integration with EMALS.

With an estimated combat radius of 1,200 kilometers, the J-35 extends China’s maritime strike envelope deep into contested regions such as the Philippine Sea or Indian Ocean chokepoints.

Its ability to deploy long-range PL-15 air-to-air missiles, with reported ranges exceeding 200 kilometers, positions it as a formidable counter to U.S. and allied fourth-generation fleets.

J-15T Multirole Fighter

Derived from the Russian Su-33, the J-15 “Flying Shark” has long been the PLAN’s workhorse, but its ski-jump limitations reduced payload and safety margins.

The J-15T catapult variant addresses these shortcomings with strengthened structures, modernized avionics, and full EMALS compatibility.

The fighter serves as a multirole platform, conducting fleet air defense, maritime strike, and close air support, bridging the operational gap until J-35 production reaches mass scale.

By sustaining dual generations of fighters, the PLAN ensures combat readiness while simultaneously advancing toward a stealth-dominated air wing.

KJ-600 AEW&C Aircraft

Modeled conceptually on the U.S. E-2D Hawkeye, the twin-turboprop KJ-600 is perhaps the most strategically consequential aircraft of the trio.

Equipped with a large active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar dome, the aircraft provides 360-degree coverage of up to 500 kilometers, allowing the PLAN to detect stealth aircraft, cruise missiles, and incoming threats long before they reach the fleet.

Its ability to serve as a flying command post integrates air, sea, and electronic warfare assets into a unified battlespace network, a capability long missing from China’s carriers.

The KJ-600’s successful catapult launch confirms the PLAN’s transition into true network-centric warfare, aligning its carrier strike groups with Western doctrines.

The Catapult Trials: A Demonstration of Confidence

Official PLAN footage captured the J-35 launching from Fujian’s forward catapult, followed by a KJ-600 AEW&C aircraft lifting into the sky, and a J-15T demonstrating arrested recovery.

The J-35’s launch was historically significant, marking the first time a fifth-generation stealth fighter has been catapulted from a non-U.S. Navy carrier deck.

Arrested landings showcased the reliability of Fujian’s arresting gear, completing the cycle of launch and recovery critical for combat operations.

China Daily and Global Times hailed the event as “a landmark achievement,” with video clips rapidly gaining traction on platforms such as Weibo and X, amplifying national pride and strategic signaling.

Unlike earlier carriers, which were tested under tight secrecy, Beijing’s decision to publicize the milestone underscores confidence in its technological maturity and its desire to demonstrate parity with American naval aviation.

Satellite imagery released by independent defense analysts has further confirmed an increase in sortie rates during the trials, suggesting that the Fujian is not only testing individual launches but also stress-testing its deck cycle efficiency under near-operational conditions.

U.S. intelligence assessments reportedly indicate that the PLAN may soon integrate unmanned carrier-based drones into these catapult tests, signaling a future doctrine that combines stealth fighters, AEW&C aircraft, and UCAVs in a layered operational concept.

Regional military observers warn that the transparency of these trials serves a dual purpose: while aimed at demonstrating technical progress, it also functions as a deliberate act of psychological warfare designed to deter adversaries and reassure domestic audiences of China’s rising naval supremacy.

READ: China’s Fujian Supercarrier with J-35 Stealth Fighters Challenges U.S. Naval Dominance in Asia

Technological Breakthrough: EMALS on the Fujian

The adoption of EMALS places the PLAN in an exclusive club.

Electromagnetic catapults provide more precise acceleration, reduced stress on aircraft frames, and the ability to launch a broader spectrum of aircraft, including heavy AEW&C planes and unmanned systems.

Compared to steam catapults, EMALS offers higher sortie generation rates and reduced maintenance demands, translating into greater operational tempo during sustained campaigns.

By pairing EMALS with stealth fighters and AEW&C aircraft, the PLAN now possesses the technological backbone for full-spectrum carrier aviation operations, from deep-strike missions to electronic warfare and long-range surveillance.

This leap forward narrows the gap with the U.S. Navy, whose Ford-class carriers remain the benchmark but have themselves faced years of reliability issues with EMALS integration.

Chinese analysts describe the breakthrough as evidence of indigenous innovation, though Western observers caution that technology transfer and reverse engineering likely accelerated development.

Strategic and Military Implications

The operationalization of the Fujian will dramatically alter the balance of power in East Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific.

In a Taiwan contingency, J-35 stealth fighters operating from catapult carriers could bypass Taiwanese air defenses, threaten U.S. bases in Okinawa, and complicate American reinforcement strategies.

The KJ-600 extends China’s battlespace awareness, countering the advantage traditionally enjoyed by U.S. Navy E-2D Hawkeyes and allowing more sophisticated coordination of anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) operations.

Beyond Taiwan, the Fujian enables China to maintain persistent presence in the South China Sea, projecting deterrence against Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia, while signaling resolve to defend its artificial island bases.

Further afield, the carrier battle group could patrol the Indian Ocean, providing security for energy lifelines through the Strait of Malacca and bolstering China’s Belt and Road maritime projects.

The PLAN’s growing reach will force Japan, India, and Australia to reassess naval investment priorities, while U.S. Indo-Pacific Command will need to adapt deployment patterns to counter a peer carrier navy.

Global Reactions

International responses reflected both admiration and alarm.

Bloomberg described the launches as a “technological watershed,” while Newsweek warned of an “accelerating arms race in Asia.”

Japanese defense officials privately acknowledged that the J-35’s carrier integration could complicate regional air defense calculations, particularly in the contested East China Sea.

In Washington, U.S. Navy analysts noted that while China still lags in nuclear-powered carriers and carrier experience, the Fujian represents a trajectory that could see China field five or six carriers by the 2030s.

India, already concerned about Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean, is likely to accelerate its indigenous carrier program and the procurement of Rafale-M fighters to counterbalance Beijing’s advances.

Pakistan, a close ally of China, openly praised the milestone, with speculation that lessons learned from the J-35 program may eventually benefit the Pakistan Air Force’s modernization.

The Road Ahead: Toward Nuclear Carriers

While the Fujian is conventionally powered, reports suggest that China is already developing a nuclear-powered carrier, tentatively designated Type 004.

Such a platform would give the PLAN unlimited endurance and the ability to rival U.S. supercarriers on global deployments.

By the 2030s, China could realistically field a multi-carrier fleet supported by nuclear attack submarines, large destroyers such as the Type 055, and advanced logistics ships, reshaping global maritime balance.

For Beijing, the Fujian is not the end state but a stepping stone toward a fleet capable of sustained operations across the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and potentially into the Atlantic.

Recent leaks from Chinese shipbuilding circles indicate that the Type 004 may incorporate integrated electric propulsion systems, enabling the operation of directed-energy weapons and electromagnetic railguns, technologies long envisioned but not yet fully realized at sea.

Western intelligence sources believe the new nuclear carrier could displace between 95,000 and 110,000 tons, pushing it closer in size and capability to the U.S. Navy’s Nimitz– and Ford-class carriers.

Satellite images of Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai show extensive new dry dock facilities under construction, fueling speculation that work on the Type 004’s modular sections may already be underway despite Beijing’s silence on the matter.

Chinese military strategists have openly discussed the importance of nuclear-powered carriers in enabling “global presence operations,” allowing the PLAN to maintain continuous deployments in areas such as the Middle East, Africa, and even the Arctic.

If realized, this ambition would mark China’s transition from a regional naval power to a global blue-water navy with expeditionary capabilities on par with, and potentially challenging, the U.S. Navy’s long-standing maritime dominance.

READ: Game-Changer for the Indo-Pacific: J-35 Officially Joins China’s Carrier Air Wing

Conclusion

The catapult launches from the CNS Fujian represent more than a technical achievement; they symbolize China’s arrival as a naval superpower.

By mastering EMALS technology, integrating stealth aircraft, and deploying AEW&C assets, the PLAN has crossed a threshold that narrows the qualitative gap with the U.S. Navy.

As the Indo-Pacific becomes the epicenter of great-power rivalry, the Fujian’s operational debut will reverberate across defense ministries, alliance structures, and strategic calculations from Tokyo to Washington.

China has entered the catapult carrier club, and with it, the dynamics of maritime security in the 21st century are being rewritten in real time.

Already, Pentagon analysts are warning that the Fujian’s eventual combat readiness could force the U.S. to permanently station additional carrier strike groups in the Pacific, stretching an already overcommitted fleet.

For allies such as Japan and Australia, the PLAN’s breakthrough underscores the urgency of strengthening collective deterrence through initiatives like AUKUS and enhanced interoperability with the U.S. Navy.

Taiwanese defense officials have expressed concern that the Fujian, once operational, would give Beijing a credible tool to impose an aerial blockade or enforce maritime exclusion zones during a crisis.

Meanwhile, NATO naval planners are increasingly factoring China’s carriers into their assessments, anticipating that Beijing’s global ambitions may extend PLAN deployments into the Atlantic and Mediterranean in the coming decades.

Ultimately, the Fujian is not just a symbol of national prestige but a strategic instrument that will shape the future trajectory of naval warfare, testing the resilience of existing alliances while redefining the boundaries of maritime power projection. — DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA