BEIJING – China’s newest aircraft carrier Fujian, successfully launched multiple warplanes using cutting-edge electromagnetic catapults, putting it on par with the U.S. Navy’s most advanced carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.
Clips shared online shows fifth-generation J-35 stealth fighters, J-15T heavy fighters, and KJ-600 early warning aircraft off the deck with unprecedented speed and power. Experts say this breakthrough allows China to strike targets at longer ranges with heavier weapons, marking a dramatic leap in its blue-water naval capabilities.
Unlike previous carriers, Fujian’s EMALS technology enables fully loaded aircraft to take off efficiently, transforming China’s reach in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. Analysts warn this could escalate tensions in the region and challenge US naval dominance.
🇨🇳 BREAKING: China’s PLA Navy conducted a catapult launch of a J-35 stealth jet and KJ-600 AEW&C aircraft from the “Fujian” aircraft carrier. pic.twitter.com/73iVPdgtHa
— Defence Index (@Defence_Index) September 22, 2025
The tests coincide with the arrival of a U.S. congressional delegation in Beijing the first in six years to discuss military and trade relations. Rep. Adam Smith cautioned that insufficient communication between the two superpowers could trigger dangerous miscalculations, especially with the rise of AI, drones, cyber, and space warfare technologies.
Former US Navy captain Carl Schuster confirmed that Fujian could officially join the People’s Liberation Army Navy in weeks, signaling China’s rapid ascent as a global naval power.
With Fujian’s revolutionary capabilities, China appears poised to challenge U.S. dominance at sea and project military power like never before.
