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PLA Navy announces Fujian carrier formation's 1st live-force training; warship becoming combat-ready fast, experts say

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun and Liang Rui Published: Nov 18, 2025 05:45 PM

Less than two weeks after the commissioning of China's third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy announced on Tuesday that the electromagnetic catapult-equipped warship has already conducted its first live-force maritime training in a carrier formation. This reflected the speed how fast the Fujian is becoming combat-ready, said experts.

The Fujian carrier formation recently conducted multi-subject maritime training, marking the first live-force maritime training since its commissioning, the PLA Navy said in a statement on Tuesday.

During the mission, the formation, consisting of multiple ships including the Fujian, Yan'an and Tongliao conducted training including formation navigation, joint ship-aircraft search and rescue and carrier-based aircraft takeoffs and landings, the PLA Navy said.

According to official media reports, the Yan'an is a Type 055 large destroyer, while the Tongliao is a Type 054A frigate.

The PLA Navy also released details of the training. It said that during the joint ship-aircraft search and rescue training, ships and aircraft coordinated seamlessly after the formation command post issued emergency orders, quickly completing the rescue mission. The training refined procedures for handling carrier-based aircraft emergencies and the transition of search and rescue forces, enhancing its emergency response capability.

Multiple types of carrier-based aircraft, including the J-35 stealth fighter jet, J-15T heavy fighter jet, J-15DT electronic warfare aircraft and KJ-600 early warning aircraft, successively completed multiple catapult takeoffs and landing drills on the Fujian. The tests verified the carrier's electromagnetic catapult, recovery and flight deck operation capabilities, and further confirmed aircraft-ship compatibility, according to the PLA Navy statement.

Bao Yu, a crew member of the Fujian, said in a China Central Television (CCTV) News report on Tuesday that "Through continuous actual equipment training, we have gained a more accurate understanding of the performance parameters of the electromagnetic catapult and arresting system, become more proficient in the operation and use of various types of equipment, and achieved more tacit coordination between each combat position and carrier-based aircraft pilots, laying a solid capability foundation for the safe and efficient launch and recovery of carrier-based aircraft."

The Fujian carrier formation's maritime training is a routine arrangement in accordance with the work plan, with the aim of verifying training effectiveness and strengthening its ability to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, according to the CCTV News report.

China's first aircraft carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults, the Fujian, was commissioned at a naval port in Sanya, South China's Hainan Province on November 5, official media reported at the time.

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 built 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.

Wang Yunfei, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the first live-force maritime training is a key step toward forming initial operational capability by practicing coordination among the carrier, aircraft, other vessels and weapons.

The live-force training was successfully held in less than half a month since the Fujian's commissioning ceremony, and Wang said this indicated that many of the Fujian's basic-level training missions were completed even before its official commissioning.

This pace suggests the Fujian could reach combat readiness and begin operational deployment missions sooner than expected, Wang said.

Song Zhongping, another Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that The Fujian's commissioning is only a starting point. The new aircraft carrier is expected to undergo extensive training, joint exercises and confrontational drills to strengthen its capabilities.

Aircraft carriers do not fight alone but in carrier formations, which typically include destroyers, frigates, submarines and replenishment ships, Song said, underscoring the importance of conducting training in a formation.

In the future, the Fujian could also form special task groups with amphibious warships such as the Type 075 and Type 076 amphibious assault ships, significantly boosting the PLA Navy's combat capabilities, Song said.

Less than a year since its launch, China's first electromagnetic catapult-equipped Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, began its maiden sea trial on Friday and returned to port on Sunday after completing a three-day test voyage, according to official media reports. Experts said that this indicates smooth progress on the construction of this warship, which could play roles of both an amphibious vessel and a light aircraft carrier.