The cover of an aircraft carrier has always been a tension scenario: each takeoff is a millimeter choreography that combines steel and noise. For more than six decades, that scene was dominated by steam. Now, with Fujian, that script is also written with electricity. We do not talk about an experiment behind closed doors, but of a public demonstration on deck with several different aircraft, the type of test that records that the electromagnetic catapult is operating in real conditions.
The demonstration was not accidental. It coincided with the acts for the 80th anniversary of victory in the war against Japan and World War II, where prominence also passed through the sea. According to the Ministry of Defense, Fujian served as a platform for three different models: the J-15T and J-35 fighters and the KJ-600 early warning plane. The three performed cares assisted by catapult and land cable landings, marking a new chapter in their preparation.
What was tested. According to Xinhua, the training phase served to check the interaction between the electromagnetic catapult, the braking system and different types of aircraft. The Navy explained that the exercises confirmed the “good compatibility” of the teams and that the Fujian already has the capacity of “full initial deck.” In practice it means that you can organize launch and recovery operations sequenced, preparing the land for a broader integration of its embarked wing.
From steam to electromagnetism: For a long time, the steam catapults marked the take -off routine on the aircraft carriers. The EMALS American system introduced a paradigm shift: instead of pressure steam, it uses accumulated electric power and converted into a launch force. It is already installed in the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), first aircraft carrier to incorporate it. The US Navy ensures that it offers greater acceleration control, less wear on airplanes and cover and ability to boost light drones to heavy fighters. The transition reduces maintenance and opens the operational range.
Three aircraft, three mission. The J-15T is the evolution of a veteran naval hunting, adapted to operate with catapults. Its role is to ensure the continuity of the aviation embarked while more advanced models arrive. The J-35, on the other hand, represents the jump to the fifth generation: a furtive hunt with greater scope and modern sensors. The KJ-600 trio completes, an early alert plane designed to expand the combat group and coordinate operations to hundreds of kilometers.
Where is the Fujian today. The aircraft carrier began its sea tests in May 2024 and, since then, it has followed a progressive calendar. Systems and stability check settings have been made, while rehearsing cover operations. The latest exercises show that the ship has an initial capacity to operate with different aircraft, but has not yet reached the level of full operability required by an aeronaval group in long -range missions.
Soil of the catapult in. To date, only two armed ones have managed to integrate electromagnetic catapults into service aircraft carriers. As we point out above, the United States operates electromagnetic catapults in the Gerald R. Ford and China class has demonstrated its operation in the Fujian. These experiences place both armed in a high technological category, while the rest of the countries continue to use steam systems or lack catapults. It is a milestone that reflects the investment and industrial development scale necessary to get here.
What changes on deck. Electromagnetic catapult opens a range of possibilities that were previously more limited. It allows drones or light aircraft with the same security as a great tonnage, and does so with less vibration and mechanical stress. For the crew, the work environment is quieter and less hot. In practice, it means that the aircraft carriers can sustain a greater number of daily exits with less maintenance between operations.
Of the test at the service. The maneuvers carried out this month do not yet equate to have a fully operational aircraft carrier. The Fujian is still in an early phase: he needs to accumulate many more hours of sea and certify maneuvers in diverse conditions before being able to hold a embedded wing in the campaign. The Ministry of Defense speaks of a milestone, but also recognizes that it is missing. The transition from the demonstration to real capacity will be gradual and will depend on how systems respond in more demanding scenarios.
The Fujian has gone from being a project wrapped in speculation to an aircraft carrier that shows on deck how its electromagnetic catapult works. The achieved this month is a visible milestone, although still partial. China thus enters a small club in which each electric takeoff is much more than a technical gesture: it is a declaration of intentions. The future will say how long it takes to convert these maneuvers into the routine of a fleet capable of operating with continuity on the high seas.
Images | Ministry of National Defense (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) |
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