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China Publishes Fujian Footage of EMALS Launches and Recoveries by J-35, J-15T and KJ-600

Analysts call the EMALS trials a major step toward a carrier air wing on Fujian, signaling nearer commissioning with extensive testing still to complete.

A J-35 prepares to be launched on the Fujian aircraft carrier. (Image credit: ‘China Navy’ on X)
In these photos provided by the Chinese navy on September 22, 2025, a KJ-600 aircraft (top) and J-15T and J-35 fighter jets (bottom left and right) take off from the aircraft carrier CNS Fujian at an undisclosed sea location.
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Overview

  • The PLAN said electromagnetic catapults and arresting gear proved compatible with J-15T, J-35 and KJ-600 aircraft and labeled the milestone an initial full-deck operational capability.
  • Official photos and nearly nine minutes of video show multiple launches and arrested landings, including deck crews attaching the catapult to the KJ-600’s nose gear.
  • Fujian remains in sea trials that began in May 2024 and was observed moving from the Taiwan Strait into the South China Sea this month for further testing.
  • The carrier’s EMALS enables heavier takeoff loads and fixed‑wing early warning operations, a capability otherwise fielded only on the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford.
  • Some reports describe the J-35 as the first stealth aircraft launched by an electromagnetic catapult, a claim presented as reported rather than independently confirmed in the coverage.