China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, is undergoing an intensive series of sea trials as it edges closer to operational deployment. Official state media recently confirmed the carrier’s ongoing testing, emphasizing its role as the first Chinese warship equipped with electromagnetic catapult systems — a leap in naval aviation capability that analysts believe will transform the combat readiness of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
The Fujian’s progress marks a significant moment in the evolution of China’s naval ambitions, reflecting years of technical advancement, strategic investment, and an increasingly assertive military posture in regional and global waters.
On May 19, the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration issued a notice restricting large vessel traffic in the Yangtze River estuary. Although the bulletin did not explicitly mention the Fujian, military watchers quickly linked the control measures to the aircraft carrier’s movements. The area, located near Jiangnan Shipyard where the Fujian was built, has frequently been used during past trial runs. Observers believe this was the vessel’s eighth sea trial — a benchmark that puts it within range of joining the operational fleet.
China Central Television (CCTV) confirmed that the Fujian is currently in a “phase of intensive testing,” and that particular attention is being paid to the warship’s electromagnetic catapult systems — a technological frontier previously dominated only by the United States.
Electromagnetic catapults, unlike older steam-based systems, allow for more precise and controlled aircraft launches. The technology significantly reduces stress on airframes, enabling a wider range of aircraft — from heavy airborne early warning (AEW) planes to drones — to operate from the carrier’s deck.
Military expert Fu Qianshao told the Global Times that the catapult system is the Fujian’s most complex and critical new feature. “The catapults must be tested under various launch conditions,” Fu said. “Different aircraft types, weights, and aerodynamic profiles all impact performance. It’s a highly technical challenge.”
These tests will involve not just launch dynamics but also launch intervals, safety protocols, and the seamless integration of manned and unmanned aircraft operations. “Compared to China’s first two aircraft carriers — the Liaoning and Shandong — this carrier will take longer to complete its test phase due to the new systems being used,” Fu added.
The Fujian, designated Type 003, dwarfs its predecessors. Its displacement is estimated at over 80,000 tons — similar to American Nimitz-class carriers — and it is fully domestically designed and constructed. This contrasts with the Liaoning, a refurbished Soviet vessel, and the Shandong, a derivative of that model.
According to naval affairs expert Zhang Junshe, the ship’s larger size and electromagnetic launch systems are a massive upgrade. “This is not merely a larger version of what came before. The Fujian marks the beginning of a new generation of Chinese carriers — true blue-water power projection assets,” Zhang said.
Once fully operational, the Fujian is expected to vastly increase the PLAN’s sortie rate — the number of flights it can launch in a day — thus enhancing its ability to control the skies in combat zones. Military analyst Cao Weidong emphasized that the catapult system allows aircraft to take off with heavier payloads — more fuel, more weapons — which directly boosts their strike capabilities.
“This changes the calculus in any maritime contest,” Cao told CCTV. “You’re not just increasing quantity — you’re increasing quality and flexibility at the same time.”
Additionally, the Fujian’s ability to launch AEW aircraft dramatically improves its command-and-control and situational awareness capacities, essentially giving the carrier a much longer radar horizon and early warning capability. These enhancements shift the PLAN from a coastal defense force to one that can conduct sustained operations far from Chinese shores.
The testing phase may also include trials involving the J-35 stealth fighter, a navalized version of China’s fifth-generation jet designed for carrier operations. If the J-35 successfully integrates with the Fujian’s systems, it would represent a quantum leap in air combat capability — giving the PLAN a credible stealth strike component that rivals the U.S. Navy’s F-35C.
“The J-35 is a key part of this puzzle,” said a Beijing-based aerospace researcher who asked not to be named. “Together with AEW and drone components, the Fujian’s air wing could rival or exceed that of some Western carriers — at least in terms of technological parity.”
The Liaoning and Shandong both use ski-jump ramps to launch aircraft — a system that limits takeoff weight and aircraft type. These carriers required 10 and 9 sea trials respectively before entering service. In contrast, the Fujian appears to be moving at a similar or faster pace despite its greater complexity.
If sea trials continue successfully, commissioning could occur by late 2025 or early 2026, in line with China’s broader naval modernization timeline.
The Fujian is part of a sweeping modernization drive that is reshaping the PLA Navy into a true global force. In recent years, China has launched a series of high-tonnage, high-tech vessels including nuclear-powered submarines, 10,000-ton destroyers, amphibious assault ships, and next-generation replenishment vessels.
Carrier-based aircraft — once limited to a handful of J-15s — are now being mass-produced, while new types of helicopters and AEW planes are entering the force. The transformation is systemic, not just technological. A shift is underway from platform-centric tactics to integrated, networked naval operations.
“China is building not just ships, but ecosystems,” said Zhang. “These are battle groups that can operate autonomously, resupply at sea, and project power well beyond China’s immediate periphery.”
The Fujian’s commissioning will inevitably have geopolitical ripple effects. Its range and firepower will bolster Chinese naval presence in strategic areas such as the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait — flashpoints of growing concern for regional and global powers.
With a catapult-equipped carrier, China will be able to maintain air patrols longer, enforce maritime claims more assertively, and respond faster to crises or conflict. For countries like the United States, Japan, and Australia, the Fujian introduces a new level of Chinese naval maturity that cannot be ignored.
Beyond its operational value, the Fujian is a symbol of China’s industrial and strategic ambition. Its development showcases not only indigenous innovation but a determination to reshape the regional balance of power. Unlike earlier carriers, which were seen partly as political symbols, the Fujian is built for warfighting.
In many ways, the ship is a floating declaration: that China intends to be a maritime superpower with a global reach and the tools to back it up.
With the Fujian now likely approaching the final stages of testing, the world’s naval watchers will be focused on its official commissioning date — and more importantly, its first deployments. Analysts believe that once operational, the carrier could be based at the PLAN’s southern fleet headquarters near Hainan Island, placing it within rapid reach of the contested South China Sea.
If the J-35, AEW aircraft, and catapult systems perform as expected, the Fujian could reshape not just China’s navy, but the entire security landscape of the Indo-Pacific.
