China will commission the most advanced aircraft carrier Fujian in 2025 with electromagnetic catapults for fifth-generation J-35 fighters
A photo of China's second-generation aircraft carrier Fujian has appeared in the public domain. It will enter service with the Navy of the People's Liberation Army of China in 2025.
Here's What We Know
The Fujian, aka Type 003, is China's third and most advanced aircraft carrier. The giant warship is close to its first sea trials and is already ready to test its deck fighter launch system.
It will be the first aircraft carrier in service with the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy equipped with electromagnetic catapults. A photo published on Chinese social networking site Weibo shows that the covers have been removed from the catapult ahead of the test.
The J-15T catapult deck fighter is expected to be used for the test. Pilots have been practising taking off and landing from a ship using a ground-based catapult system for several years. The Fujian will also carry the J-35 fifth-generation fighter, J-10, KJ-600 aircraft and Z-18 helicopters.
The J-15T is a modernised variant of the fourth-generation J-15 Flying Shark fighter. The latter is now in service on two active aircraft carriers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, Liaoning and Shandong, which are equipped with obsolete Russian-made take-off ramps.
As for the fifth-generation J-35 fighter, it is in development. It is believed to be a competitor to the US F-35C Lightning II, which uses a catapult for takeoff and lands using an airfinisher.
The Fujian will have a length of 313-318 metres. By comparison, the USS Gerald R. Ford (pictured above), the world's largest aircraft carrier, is 337 metres long. The Chinese ship will have a displacement of 80,000 tonnes, an increase of 20,000 tonnes compared to the Liaoning and Shandong.