• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

China's aircraft carrier Fujian, J-15T fighter jet hold maritime integration test, official media program shows

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Published: Jul 30, 2025 11:14 PM

Official Chinese media on Wednesday released footage of carrier-aircraft integration tests between China's electromagnetic catapults-equipped aircraft carrier Fujian and the J-15T shipborne fighter jet. An expert said the tests marked a major milestone ahead of the upcoming commissioning of the Fujian.

China Central Television (CCTV) will start airing a documentary program on the development of the Chinese military starting Friday, the 98th founding anniversary of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), the military channel of CCTV reported on Wednesday, and released a trailer of the documentary.

The trailer featured a lot of new footage, showing the PLA's advanced weapons and equipment, including its nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, DF-17 hypersonic missile, robot dogs and aerial drones. Footage of electromagnetic assisted aircraft launch on board the aircraft carrier Fujian was specially mentioned by the CCTV report.

A trailer of an official media program released on July 30, 2025 shows a J-15T carrier-borne fighter jet is ready for takeoff from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Fujian at an undisclosed date and location. Photo: Screenshot from the Weibo account of the military channel of China Central Television

The footage showed that a J-15T carrier-borne fighter jet was prepared at a launch position on board the aircraft carrier Fujian. An order was then issued, "Position 2, clear for takeoff," according to the CCTV report, which did not show the launch of the aircraft. However, another clip showed a J-15T in the air, casting a shadow on the flight deck of the Fujian.

Chinese military affairs expert Fu Qianshao told the Global Times that this marks a major milestone of the Fujian, meaning that the carrier-aircraft integration tests were likely already underway in previous sea trials.

Fu said that sea trials could verify the Fujian's electromagnetic catapult and arresting technology. While the technology must have completed tests on land, it is important that they were done on an actual aircraft carrier at sea.

Various types of aircraft, such as heavy fighter jets, medium-weight fighter jets, early warning aircraft and even light trainer jets, would need to conduct related tests before their official commissioning, Fu said, noting that the Fujian could host aircraft of different weights thanks to the electromagnetic catapult and arresting technology, which can adjust and adapt to the different weights.

Wei Dongxu, a Chinese military affairs commentator, said that the aircraft carrier Fujian has been making steady progress in sea trials, and is expected to be commissioned this year, CCTV News reported in June.

The Fujian is China's first aircraft carrier that is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting device. Having a full displacement of more than 80,000 tons, the carrier was launched on June 17, 2022 and conducted its first sea trial on May 1, 2024. Since then, the Fujian has completed multiple sea trials, accumulating more than 100 days of sea trial, official media reported.