China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian ship, was launched on June 17, 2022. Over a year later, the Fujian carrier, which has attracted much attention, reappeared on the “Xinwen Lianbo” on January 2, 2024.
On January 2, CCTV’s “Xinwen Lianbo” aired a series of reports introducing the concerted efforts of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) officers and soldiers to prepare for war and unite in striving to achieve the centennial goals of the founding of the army. In the video, the Fujian carrier made an appearance. Compared to the footage of its launch in 2022, the construction shed on its electromagnetic catapult device had been removed, and three catapult tracks were clearly visible.
On November 19, 2023, and in the following days, satellite images on social media showed the “Fujian” leaving its berth. This development sparked expectations for sea trials of the aircraft carrier. However, this movement may have been for adjusting the angles for catapult testing.
A video clip circulated on November 26 showed a “dead load” catapult test on the electromagnetic catapult on the Fujian carrier, launching a weight test vehicle into the water of the front basin, creating splashes, similar to the 2015 test on the U.S. Ford-class aircraft carrier.
On November 30, Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian responded to inquiries, stating that the Fujian carrier is currently undergoing mooring trials, and subsequent construction projects will be steadily promoted according to the plan.
Military commentator Shi Hong stated that the public revelation of the three electromagnetic catapult tracks indicates that the Fujian carrier has entered the final stages of construction. Apart from some onboard equipment not yet installed and deck markings yet to be completed, the Fujian carrier can be considered essentially finished. This also implies that the time for sea trials of the Fujian carrier is getting closer.
Furthermore, the three electromagnetic catapult tracks are unique to China. True large-deck carriers are currently only possessed by the United States and China. While U.S. Navy carriers have four catapult tracks, only three are typically used, with one serving as a backup. China’s three catapult tracks can be fully utilized during the takeoff of carrier-based aircraft, and their layout is more reasonable. The flight deck is also notably wide, highlighting the advantages of a catapult-type carrier.
Shi Hong pointed out that the flat front part of the flight deck allows the Fujian carrier to park more carrier-based aircraft, providing greater flexibility in deck arrangement and enabling the rapid deployment of carrier-based aircraft.
From the current videos, it can be observed that a full-sized model of a folding-wing carrier-based aircraft is positioned on the rear deck of the Fujian carrier. Placing the full-sized model on the flight deck is part of corresponding testing. Clearly, the flight deck has now taken shape, and by placing full-sized models of carrier-based aircraft on it, calculations can be made regarding how many carrier-based aircraft can be accommodated on the flight deck in the future.