The new carrier is estimated to be 316 metres long and 76 metres wide, with a full displacement of around 85,000 tonnes. What sets it apart from its predecessors is not only its size, but also its flat deck design equipped with three Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch Systems (EMALS).
This advanced launch technology enables the take-off of heavier, fully armed aircraft with full fuel loads, making China the second country after the United States to introduce EMALS on its carriers. The Fujian’s air wing includes J-15T fighters, the new fifth-generation J-35 fighter, and the KJ-600 early warning aircraft.
The J-15T is a version of the J-15 adapted to launch from a flat deck using catapults, significantly boosting its range and combat capabilities. The KJ-600, structurally comparable to the US E-2 Hawkeye, also requires catapults for take-off and is therefore limited to operations from the Fujian and future carriers currently under construction, including one being built at the Dalian shipyard, where work began in 2024.
The commissioning of the Fujian highlights Beijing’s ambition to build a global blue-water navy capable of projecting power in line with the operational model of the U.S. Navy.
