China's newly commissioned aircraft carrier Fujian can integrate with either of the two other existing aircraft carriers of the country -- the Liaoning and Shandong -- to form a larger aircraft carrier strike group with greater functions of reconnaissance and aircraft accommodation in complicated combat scenarios, according to military experts.
The Fujian, the country's first indigenously designed and built aircraft carrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults, entered into military service on Wednesday, marking a new chapter in the development of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy.
"For the Fujian aircraft carrier, it is capable of accommodating the takeoffs and landings of certain types of carrier-based aircraft that the Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers are unable to do. For example, it can accommodate the takeoffs and landings of fixed-wing airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft, which are currently not deployed on the Shandong or Liaoning. If the Fujian conducts joint operations with those two carriers, they can share the use of these large fixed-wing AEW aircraft, which would significantly enhance the entire carrier group's detection capabilities. This enables the fleet to conduct offensive operations without relying on surface or land-based intelligence support, and greatly improves the group's ability to strike both maritime and surface targets," said Zhang Xuefeng, a military expert.
"Beyond complementing each other, these carriers can also serve as mutual backups. For instance, if one carrier experiences a malfunction during combat operations, its aircraft can land on the other carrier, achieving a dual-layer safety guarantee," he said.
Shared operations between the three carriers raise possibilities for deepened integration, especially with the successful catapult-assisted takeoff and arrested landing of the three types of aircraft -- the J-15T, the J-35 and the KongJing-600 -- aboard the Fujian.
"In the future, the J-35 fighter jets, etc aboard the Fujian will also be able to land on the Liaoning or the Shandong, while the J-15T fighters from the Liaoning and Shandong can also land on the Fujian. This cross-deck operation capability of carrier-based fighter jets effectively enhances the navy's far-sea offensive and defensive combat capabilities," said Zhang Junshe, another military expert.
The Fujian, also known by its hull number 18, has a full-load displacement exceeding 80,000 tons. Launched in June 2022, it underwent its first sea trial in May 2024 and completed electromagnetic-assisted aircraft launch and recovery drills by September 2025.
Fujian aircraft carrier capable of enhancing joint operational flexibility: experts
