World’s largest 80,000-ton jet carrier with magnetic catapult launched in China

China launched its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, on Wednesday in a ceremony in the southern city of Sanya.

The Fujian, designated hull number 18, is China’s most advanced warship and the first to be equipped with electromagnetic catapult launch technology, placing Beijing alongside Washington as the only nations operating carriers with this system. 

The carrier’s commissioning marks a major milestone for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as it seeks to project power farther beyond China’s shores.

China’s homegrown aircraft carrier

President Xi Jinping presided over the commissioning ceremony and later boarded the vessel to receive briefings on Fujian’s combat systems and launch technology, according to state news agency Xinhua. 

Also in attendance were senior officials, including General Zhang Shengmin, deputy chairman of the Central Military Commission, Xi’s chief of staff Cai Qi, and Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing.

With a displacement of over 80,000 tons, the conventionally powered Fujian is the largest non-nuclear warship in the world.

It began sea trials in May 2024, roughly two years after its launch in June 2022.

The new carrier’s electromagnetic catapults represent a significant upgrade from the ski-jump decks used on China’s earlier carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong. 

The catapults can launch aircraft at higher speeds with heavier payloads over shorter distances, a capability that dramatically increases sortie rates and operational flexibility.

By comparison, the U.S. Navy’s USS Gerald R. Ford is the only other carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults. 

The system has faced challenges: last week, U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the technology as “expensive and unreliable,” arguing for a return to traditional steam-powered systems.

China’s military analysts hailed the Fujian as a leap forward. “As China’s first aircraft carrier with a flat deck, and utilizing numerous advanced technologies, including electromagnetic catapults, electromagnetic arresting gear, and an all-electric propulsion system, the delivery speed is remarkably fast,” Song Zhongping, a former PLA instructor and military commentator, told South China Morning Post.

Song noted that while Fujian’s commissioning came 40 months after its launch, longer than Shandong’s 32 months but faster than the USS Ford’s 44 months, the rapid pace highlights China’s growing industrial efficiency.

Electromagnetic catapult to launch jets

The Fujian will reportedly carry a mix of J-35A stealth fighters, J-15T heavy carrier fighters, and J-15DT electronic warfare aircraft, along with the KJ-600 early warning and control aircraft. 

In September, state media reported that all three types successfully conducted catapult-assisted takeoffs and arrested landings during tests aboard the carrier.

The J-35, developed by AVIC’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, is China’s first carrier-based stealth fighter and only the second in the world after Lockheed Martin’s F-35C.

Despite the technological progress, Song cautioned that China’s three-carrier fleet still faces limitations. 

“Three aircraft carriers are not actually sufficient,” he said. “China still has certain shortcomings in terms of performance, quantity, and combat experience if we want to fend off those countries capable of intervening in the Taiwan Strait.”

He added that Fujian’s integration of both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters would significantly enhance the PLAN’s operational capabilities, but the ship will require extended training before achieving full readiness.

“Entering active service is just a starting point,” Song said. “Long-term training and adaptation are necessary before the Fujian reaches initial operational capability.”

China has announced that its new aircraft carrier, Fujian, is now operational. This follows several military events, including a parade in Beijing last September to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.

During the parade, China showcased its latest early warning aircraft and advanced stealth technology. With the Fujian now in service, China demonstrates its intention to continue expanding and upgrading its carrier fleet.

This is a crucial aspect of its strategy to challenge U.S. naval power in the Indo-Pacific region.