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Enoch Wong

China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier may have successfully conducted a fighter jet catapult take-off drill, according to the latest footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV.
The feat marks a key milestone for the Fujian – China’s first aircraft carrier equipped with an electromagnetic catapult – before its expected entry into service this year.
The 6½ minute segment showing the apparently successful take-off was aired as part of Forging Ahead, a five-episode series launched on August 1 to mark the 98th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
State media earlier reported that the Fujian could enter active service before the end of this year. The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently the only active carrier equipped with an advanced catapult launch system.
The segment featuring the Fujian take-off drills was published on the CCTV website on Sunday.
It showed a control room operator announcing: “Parameters checked, position two cleared for take-off.”
Then came the final command: “All set, conditions normal … take-off!” – followed by a roar from the launch that was met with cheers from crew members and researchers on board the vessel.

There was no footage of the actual catapult take-off, but the cheers and congratulations shared around suggested that the drill had been successful.
One researcher exclaimed emotionally: “Not easy! Not easy! … 17 years! [That’s enough time] for a child to grow up!”
His remark indicated that China’s development of electromagnetic catapults dated back to around 2008.
The caption to the clip later said: “Every successful simulation was preparation for this actual take-off.”
Although a continuous shot of the complete catapult launch was not shown, multiple J-15T shipborne fighter jets specifically designed for electromagnetic launch systems appeared throughout – including one fully powered at the take-off point of the flight deck.
The segment ended with a shadow cast on the Fujian’s deck by an airborne J-15T.
A senior commander onboard suggested that the Fujian was exploring take-offs with more carrier-based models, including those successfully deployed on China’s two other aircraft carriers.
“The Fujian is now entering its final preparatory stage [after completing its eighth sea trial in May],” said Senior Captain Tian Wei, head of naval aviation aboard the Fujian.
“Our current challenge is to add to its [capacity for] seamless transition from ski-jump to catapult take-off, optimising and shortening this time to rapidly achieve combat capability upon commissioning.”
China’s Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers both use a ski-jump system for launching their fixed-wing aircraft, specifically the J-15 fighter jets.
The Fujian, which is China’s first domestically designed and built carrier, began sea trials in May last year. Tyre marks spotted on the flight deck in December suggested it was already close to conducting take-off tests, but experts suggested the marks could have been left after “touch-and-go” tests – an initial phase before the actual trials for carrier-based fighters.

Sunday’s programme also showed an unidentified naval training facility equipped with a land-based electromagnetic launch simulator, with a rarely seen twin-seat J-15S aircraft shown in launch position.
Deploying the J-15S on the Fujian would offer the Chinese navy a dual-seat, catapult-capable heavy fighter option, which could also embark on missions of electronic warfare. It would also serve as a command centre in air to coordinate drone missions around it in a strategy called “manned-unmanned” teaming.
Besides the J-15S, the PLA Navy’s other twin-seat carrier-based jet is the J-15D electronic warfare fighter. The force also operates the KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft and is developing the J-35 stealth fighter for carrier operations.


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China's military weapons

China’s Fujian aircraft carrier may have conducted first catapult take-off drill

A shadow cast on the Fujian’s deck by an airborne J-15T ends a short segment aired as part of five-episode CCTV military series Forging Ahead. Photo: CCTV

The Fujian control room operator, as pictured in the CCTV series commemorating 98 years of the PLA. Photo: CCTV

PLA Navy crew on board the Fujian taking part in the purported take-off drill. Photo: CCTV

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China

Military

Footage in CCTV series for 98th PLA anniversary marks key milestone for China’s first catapult-equipped carrier ahead of service


Footage in CCTV series for 98th PLA anniversary marks key milestone for China’s first catapult-equipped carrier ahead of service.


Fujian Type 003 aircraft carrier

CCTV

China’s Fujian aircraft carrier may have conducted first catapult take-off drill

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Footage in CCTV series for 98th PLA anniversary marks key milestone for China’s first catapult-equipped carrier ahead of service

Footage in CCTV series for 98th PLA anniversary marks key milestone for China’s first catapult-equipped carrier ahead of service