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3d ago

China’s Fujian Executes First Electromagnetic Catapult Fighter Jet Launch

State media footage shows J-15T takeoff clearance, marking a key milestone on the carrier’s path to full service by year’s end.

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KJ-600 AEWC aircraft flying in formation with three J-15T. Source Sinodefenceforum, originally Chinese social media.
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Overview

  • CCTV footage aired on August 3–4 captured audio of control-room operators clearing a J-15T for its first EMALS-assisted launch from Fujian’s deck.
  • Fujian is China’s first CATOBAR carrier, using an electromagnetic launch system instead of ski-jump ramps to boost aircraft fuel and weapons capacity.
  • The ship has completed eight sea-trial phases since May 2024 and is now in its final preparations for commissioning expected by year’s end.
  • Fujian’s EMALS mirrors the technology on the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford, enabling heavier and more varied aircraft operations.
  • Observers say the milestone brings China closer to U.S. carrier capabilities and underlines Beijing’s push for a blue-water navy.