Overview
- Xi Jinping attended the flag ceremony in Sanya, Hainan, with state media confirming the carrier’s acceptance into the PLA Navy.
- Fujian becomes the world’s second carrier with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system, following the U.S. Gerald R. Ford.
- At roughly 316 meters and over 80,000 tonnes, the ship is China’s largest carrier yet and uses steam turbines and diesel generators rather than nuclear propulsion.
- State media highlighted deck spots for J-35, J-15T and KJ-600 aircraft, with EMALS enabling heavier loads and a wider mix of manned and unmanned platforms.
- The carrier transited the Taiwan Strait during trials as the U.S. Defense Department projects China’s fleet nearing 400 warships this year, with reporting indicating work on a fourth carrier and a land-based reactor prototype.