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China commissions first electromagnetic catapults-equipped aircraft carrier, Fujian; country officially enters three-carrier era

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun, Liang Rui and Guo Yuandan Published: Nov 07, 2025 01:02 PM Updated: Nov 07, 2025 01:14 PM

Official Chinese media on Friday revealed that the country's third aircraft carrier, the electromagnetic catapults-equipped Fujian, was officially commissioned on Wednesday. China now officially entered an era with three aircraft carriers, as experts highlighted the significant capability boosts that the Fujianwill give to the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA).

President Xi Jinping on Wednesday attended the commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony of the Fujian, China's first aircraft carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults, in South China's Hainan Province, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, boarded the aircraft carrier to inspect the vessel after the ceremony at a naval port in Sanya City, according to Xinhua.

About 2,000 representatives from the navy and institutions involved in the construction of the aircraft carrier took part in the ceremony on Wednesday. At the ceremony, Xi presented a flag of the PLA to the captain and political commissar of the Fujian, and took a group photo with them, according to Xinhua.

Aboard the vessel, Xi was briefed on the country's aircraft carrier development. He learned about the systematic combat capabilities of the aircraft carriers and the electromagnetic catapult system, Xinhua reported.

On the flight deck, new-generation carrier-based aircraft, including the J-35 and J-15T fighter jets and the KJ-600 early warning aircraft, were parked in sequence. Talking with carrier-based aircraft pilots, Xi encouraged them to keep improving their skills and expertise, and to contribute to the development of the combat capabilities of the Fujian.

Xi visited the control tower on the island section of the Fujian to learn about flight command and takeoff-and-landing operations. He then entered the pilot house, where he signed the log book.

It was Xi's decision that the Fujian adopt the electromagnetic catapult system. On Wednesday, he visited the control area of this system and attentively observed the operational procedures, Xinhua reported.

He also toured the vessel's dining facilities and crew quarters to inspect the living conditions of officers and sailors.

The Fujianwas launched in June 2022 and named after Fujian Province.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that the commissioning of the Fujianis a symbol of the achievements in the transformation of the PLA Navy from coastal defense to far seas defense, marking that China has officially entered an era with three aircraft carriers, as well as an era of electromagnetic catapults-equipped carrier.

Zhang said the commissioning of the Fujianwill bring three major changes and capability leaps for the PLA Navy. The first is the use of the electromagnetic catapult system that enables aircraft to take off with full fuel and ammunition, increasing the combat radius and enhancing the attack capability; the second is the significant increase of aircraft carrier sortie rate, also thanks to the electromagnetic catapults; the third is the formation of a far seas combat system that integrates offense and defense for the carrier group, with the addition of the KJ-600 early warning aircraft.

The commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony of the Fujian, China's first aircraft carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults, is held at a naval port in Sanya City, South China's Hainan Province, on November 5, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

On September 22, the PLA Navy announced that the Fujianhad achieved a breakthrough by hosting the first catapult-assisted takeoff and arrested landing training for the J-15T heavy fighter jet, the J-35 stealth fighter jet, and the KJ-600 early warning aircraft. These aircraft, along with the J-15DT carrier-borne electronic warfare aircraft, were also featured in China's V-Day military parade held in Beijing on September 3.

According to official media reports, the Fujian, China's third aircraft carrier, with hull number 18, was launched in June 2022. Unlike the ski-jump decks of China's first two carriers - the Liaoning and the Shandong- it is China's first domestically made carrier that uses catapults. With a full-load displacement of more than 80,000 tons, the carrier is equipped with electromagnetic catapults and arresting devices. Since its first sea trials in May 2024, the Fujianhas carried out a series of maritime tests according to plan, progressing with equipment commissioning and assessments of overall operational stability.

Song Zhongping, another Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that that the Fujianis China's new-generation aircraft carrier, as it has transitioned from the previously used ski-jump ramps to the more advanced electromagnetic catapults, and bypassing steam catapults. This improvement can significantly boost the performance and capabilities of the Fujian, representing some of China's most advanced technologies.

Song said that the commissioning is a new beginning for the Fujian, and real tests still lie in getting prepared for real combat and true confrontation trials. "That is where the Fujianwill truly play its roles," he said.

Same port as Shandong

Like the aircraft carrier Shandong, the Fujianis also commissioned in Sanya. Zhang said that in the future, the two carriers might be deployed in the same port facing the South China Sea. The South China Sea has a larger and vaster area, deeper water, and more complex sea conditions, making it more suitable for carriers to carry out realistic combat training, and more conducive for the Fujianto conduct realistic combat training. Having both the Fujianand the Shandonghomeported at the same location is also more conducive to forming a dual-carrier group, executing far seas defense operations, seizing far seas air and sea control, and also carrying out operations like land attack and supporting island and reef offensive operations, Zhang said.

"The commissioning of the Fujianmakes the deployment of dual carriers in the PLA South China Fleet a reality, which will undoubtedly have a strategic deterrence effect on the 'Taiwan independence' secessionist forces and some certain countries with malicious intentions toward China."

China's development of aircraft carriers aims to better implement a defensive national defense policy and safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests. At the same time, this also helps maintain regional peace and stability, Zhang said.

Powerful formations

After the official commissioning of the Fujian, the PLA Navy can form a three-carrier formation in the far seas in the future to carry out maritime defense operations, with the Fujian, the Liaoning, and the Shandongconducting joint operations, according to Zhang.

Experts noted that the Fujian, just like other carriers, will not fight alone, but in a combat formation consisting of escorts such as the advanced destroyers, frigates, replenishment ships and submarines.

Referring to weapons and equipment shown at the V-Day military parade on September 3, Chinese military expert Wang Yunfei told the Global Times that the Chinese carrier formations possess strong anti-ship, air defense and anti-submarine capabilities.

He highlighted the PLA Navy's shipborne and submarine-launched hypersonic anti-ship missiles. He said that this provides Chinese aircraft carrier formations with a lethal edge over potential opponents while significantly bolstering China's maritime defense.

More carriers expected

Based on the patterns of carrier operations and China's needs to protect its long coastline and huge overseas interests, three carriers can only meet the minimum operational requirements, experts said, noting that according to the conventional practice of carrier use, if there are three carriers, one is usually under maintenance, one conducting combat training, and one on operational duty.

"In the future, China needs to build more carriers to better safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests," Zhang said.

When asked to confirm foreign media reports claiming that China's fourth aircraft carrier, also the first nuclear-powered one, is under construction at Dalian Shipyard, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang told the Global Times at a regular press conference in September that he was not aware of the specific situation.

He emphasized that China's aircraft carrier development is always conducted in accordance with national security needs and the progress of equipment technology.