https://www.scmp.com/rss/519864/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China’s next-generation “drone-carrier” amphibious assault ship is en route to the South China Sea for critical sea trials, the military announced on Tuesday, in the same waters where the US, the Philippines and Japan are conducting large-scale joint military exercises and the aircraft carrier Liaoning is apparently sailing to. “The Sichuan, our country’s first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, has set sail from Shanghai for relevant waters in the South China Sea to carry out scientific research... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350932/chinas-new-type-076-drone-carrier-take-part-south-china-sea-training-drills?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 21:09:29 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A Chinese military magazine has suggested that if Taiwan sends a swarm of uncrewed combat boats across the strait – a strategy inspired by Ukraine – Beijing could counter with its GJ-21 stealth attack drones. According to a commentary in Defence Review, the GJ-21 has long endurance and high manoeuvrability, which would give it a critical advantage against a “game changing” swarm attack by unmanned surface vessels. The GJ-21 – a naval variant of the GJ-11 Sharp Sword – is the world’s first and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350616/how-pla-may-use-stealth-drones-swarming-boat-attack-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3350616/how-pla-may-use-stealth-drones-swarming-boat-attack-taiwan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi China’s new dry dock near the South China Sea could help it avoid having an aircraft carrier “gap” in the disputed waterway and pave the way for military outreach to the Indian Ocean, analysts said. According to a report by American geospatial intelligence company AllSource Analysis, satellite imagery on January 21 showed the first use of a new dry dock at Yulin Naval Base in the southern Chinese province of Hainan, for the likely maintenance of PLA Navy aircraft carriers. The report said... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341270/shandongs-use-plas-newest-dry-dock-near-south-china-sea-suggests-carrier-milestone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3341270/shandongs-use-plas-newest-dry-dock-near-south-china-sea-suggests-carrier-milestone?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 10:36:10 +0000 Liu Zhen,Alcott Wei Liu Zhen,Alcott Wei China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has significant design flaws that future carriers can overcome only by adopting nuclear power, according to a military magazine. The Fujian is the country’s first domestically designed aircraft carrier and was commissioned in November. With a displacement of over 80,000 tonnes, it is the world’s largest conventional warship and the first non-American ship to be equipped with advanced electromagnetic catapults. However, the most advanced US ships – the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340320/why-china-may-need-take-nuclear-option-its-next-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3340320/why-china-may-need-take-nuclear-option-its-next-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 14:00:10 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has allowed the use of naked flames on board to accommodate a form of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The use of fire on the vessel is to be allowed so that cupping therapy can take place. The news has received much attention on mainland social media after it was reported by state broadcaster CCTV on December 24. The Fujian, China’s third aircraft carrier and the most advanced, officially entered into service in November at a grand... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337781/china-aircraft-carrier-allows-use-naked-flames-tcm-therapy-which-popular-among-troops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3337781/china-aircraft-carrier-allows-use-naked-flames-tcm-therapy-which-popular-among-troops?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 10:00:09 +0000 Wenran Jiang Wenran Jiang Historians are likely to point to 2025 as the watershed in China’s 21st century ascent, a year in which the People’s Liberation Army’s power projection matured across all domains, resetting the global balance of power. This seismic shift is underscored by an unmistakable admission: the US has formally acknowledged the limits of its global reach in its new national security strategy and begun a strategic recalibration away from undisputed hegemony. These military and strategic realities are... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3336668/2025-marked-end-pax-americanas-unipolar-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3336668/2025-marked-end-pax-americanas-unipolar-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei The Fujian, mainland China’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, has made its first transit of the Taiwan Strait since its commissioning, with Taipei keeping a close eye on its movements. Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Wednesday that while the carrier, Beijing’s third, passed through the waterway, it appeared to be heading back to a Shanghai shipyard for repairs. The ministry also released a surveillance photograph of the Fujian, reportedly captured by F-16 fighter jets, showing no... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336782/plas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-transits-taiwan-strait-taipei-watches-closely?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3336782/plas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-transits-taiwan-strait-taipei-watches-closely?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 11:54:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Key scientists behind China’s latest stealth fighter and aircraft carrier have been promoted to one of the country’s top scientific academies in recognition of their contributions to advances in military technology. The honours also highlight the global lead Chinese military technology has taken in a number of areas. Wang Yongqing, the chief designer and expert of the J-35A stealth fighter; Huang Weina, the lead designer of the WS-19 engine for the J-35 series; and Lu Junyong, a key researcher... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333823/top-honours-engineers-spotlight-chinas-gains-military-technology?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333823/top-honours-engineers-spotlight-chinas-gains-military-technology?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 06:00:21 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has returned to port following a training mission with its strike group, according to a state media report on Tuesday amid rising tensions with Japan. State broadcaster CCTV reported that the mission marked the “first maritime live-force training” for the world’s biggest conventionally powered warship since it was commissioned to the PLA Navy on November 5. The Fujian, China’s first domestically designed carrier and its third overall, has a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333289/chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-completes-first-training-exercise-after-entering-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333289/chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-completes-first-training-exercise-after-entering-service?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 12:10:37 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Chinese aircraft carriers have undergone intensive far-sea training to forge strong combat readiness, carrying out dozens of “train-as-you-fight” drills beyond the island chains and ramping up the frequency of aircraft launches. The revelation was just one detail in a PLA Daily article last week that shed light on the training activities of China’s three aircraft carriers – a subject that the People’s Liberation Army has previously guarded closely. The details come less than two weeks after... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333118/china-reveals-guarded-carrier-tactics-train-you-fight-drills-beyond-island-chains?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3333118/china-reveals-guarded-carrier-tactics-train-you-fight-drills-beyond-island-chains?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Nov 2025 10:24:44 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi When President Xi Jinping commissioned the Fujian on November 5, China became only the second nation to have an aircraft carrier with an electromagnetic catapult system. It is also notable that, last month, two navy aircraft from the USS Nimitz crashed into the South China Sea. These events crystallise a strategic reality often obscured by aggregate force comparisons: the relevant naval balance is not between the 11 US aircraft carriers and China’s three, but between what the United States can... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332517/south-china-sea-how-third-pla-navy-aircraft-carrier-changes-dynamics-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3332517/south-china-sea-how-third-pla-navy-aircraft-carrier-changes-dynamics-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 12:30:10 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi A week after China commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, newly leaked images, including satellite imagery and other photos, suggest that the fourth might be nuclear powered. US military website The War Zone reported on Wednesday that China’s new Type 004 aircraft carrier, which is under construction at the Dalian shipyard in the northeastern province of Liaoning, showed a hull structure apparently similar to that of American nuclear-powered supercarriers. Citing social media posts... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332616/days-after-fujian-launch-images-suggest-china-building-first-nuclear-powered-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332616/days-after-fujian-launch-images-suggest-china-building-first-nuclear-powered-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 10:00:37 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Only a select few People’s Liberation Army officers attended last week’s commissioning of the Fujian, but among them was Rear Admiral Ma Weiming – the man whose technological breakthrough put the aircraft carrier among the most advanced of its kind. Known as the father of the Chinese electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), Ma also fundamentally altered naval warfare with a string of innovations that has put China “one generation ahead” in several critical areas. There were no initial... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332503/meet-ma-weiming-chinese-naval-engineering-genius-behind-fujian-aircraft-carrier-catapult?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332503/meet-ma-weiming-chinese-naval-engineering-genius-behind-fujian-aircraft-carrier-catapult?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Nov 2025 00:00:10 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Aircraft carriers can serve as the “tip of the spear” for a military force, yet only a few nations have been able to muster the resources needed for them. China’s third carrier sets the bar for such vessels higher, underscoring a stunning pace of force modernisation meant to defend its interests rather than challenge or provoke. The Fujian entered service on November 5 with a commissioning ceremony in Sanya, Hainan province, presided over by President Xi Jinping. Its debut makes China only the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3332296/new-fujian-carrier-shows-chinas-tech-prowess-commitment-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3332296/new-fujian-carrier-shows-chinas-tech-prowess-commitment-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 23:15:13 +0000 Phoebe Zhang,Sylvie Zhuang Phoebe Zhang,Sylvie Zhuang China may have started nurturing the technical knowledge needed to operate the electromagnetic launch catapult on its newly commissioned carrier the Fujian at least eight years ago, according to open records that offer a glimpse into the long-term planning involved in military universities. Footage of Wednesday’s commissioning ceremony from state broadcaster CCTV showed President Xi Jinping speaking to a landing signals officer. When he asked her what she studied, she replied “electromagnetic... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332371/how-were-chinese-navys-talents-trained-fujian-carriers-commissioning?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332371/how-were-chinese-navys-talents-trained-fujian-carriers-commissioning?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 12:00:16 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng A senior naval aviation officer appears to have been appointed the Chinese navy’s acting commander, highlighting the armed forces’ focus on joint operations. Vice-Admiral Cui Yuzhong, 61, was the highest ranking naval commanding officer at the commissioning of the Fujian aircraft carrier in the southern province of Hainan last week, according to footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV. Cui is the deputy commander of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and appeared walking behind President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332329/pla-aviator-cui-yuzhong-track-be-chinese-navys-new-commander?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332329/pla-aviator-cui-yuzhong-track-be-chinese-navys-new-commander?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Alcott Wei,Sylvie Zhuang,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Sylvie Zhuang,Seong Hyeon Choi Now that the Chinese navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has entered service there could be a change in the power balance in the western Pacific, the South China Sea and even the Indian Ocean, according to experts. The Fujian – China’s third aircraft carrier – was commissioned last Wednesday in Sanya, Hainan province, in a grand ceremony overseen by President Xi Jinping, state media reported on Friday. It is the first Chinese warship equipped with an electromagnetic catapult... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332242/will-chinas-new-aircraft-carrier-tilt-power-balance-western-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332242/will-chinas-new-aircraft-carrier-tilt-power-balance-western-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:00:10 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma The Fujian, China’s recently commissioned third aircraft carrier, has started a period of intense training and combat-capability building as Beijing begins to challenge the US Navy’s dominance of the Pacific Ocean (See SCMP Plus Factsheet). Testing of operations and equipment would be the key focus, along with building up a full-strength deployment of aircraft, Captain Chen Zhiguo told state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday. The vessel may be able to carry 40 fixed-wing aircraft, according to the US... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3332196/chinas-pacific-power-takes-strategic-leap-new-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3332196/chinas-pacific-power-takes-strategic-leap-new-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Nov 2025 09:03:32 +0000 Alcott Wei Alcott Wei China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, is expected to achieve combat readiness sooner than the first two, and the country has the potential to produce more carriers for regular deployment on the high seas, according to state media. The reports also said China had the technology to build nuclear-powered carriers. The Fujian, the nation’s most advanced carrier and the first with electromagnetic catapults, was officially commissioned in Sanya, Hainan province, on Wednesday. It will now focus... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332111/chinas-fujian-carrier-track-rapid-combat-readiness-will-there-be-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3332111/chinas-fujian-carrier-track-rapid-combat-readiness-will-there-be-more?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Nov 2025 12:18:12 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao – https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3331912/chinas-third-aircraft-carrier-enters-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3331912/chinas-third-aircraft-carrier-enters-service?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 07:58:17 +0000 William Zheng,Alcott Wei,Holly Chik William Zheng,Alcott Wei,Holly Chik China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, entered into service on Wednesday at a grand ceremony in Sanya, Hainan province, according to state media reports on Friday. The Fujian is China’s most advanced warship and its first aircraft carrier to be equipped with electromagnetic catapults. Its inauguration makes China only the second country, after the United States, to operate a carrier with this aircraft launch technology. President Xi Jinping attended the ceremony and boarded the Fujian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325434/chinas-most-advanced-aircraft-carrier-fujian-enters-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325434/chinas-most-advanced-aircraft-carrier-fujian-enters-service?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 07 Nov 2025 05:02:08 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Speculation has grown that China’s latest Type 076 amphibious warship, which will serve as a drone carrier and is capable of launching fixed-wing fighters, has begun testing its advanced electromagnetic catapult. The Sichuan, which is currently being fitted out at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai, was pictured on Chinese social media with its state-of-the-art launch system pointing towards the open waters of the Yangtze River, rather than facing inward towards the dock. The photo, claimed to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329988/chinas-next-level-type-076-amphibious-assault-ship-being-put-through-its-paces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3329988/chinas-next-level-type-076-amphibious-assault-ship-being-put-through-its-paces?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 17:11:05 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has been pictured at a naval base on the southern island of Hainan for the first time, suggesting it is a step closer to entering service. Satellite images taken on Wednesday and shared on social media showed the Fujian and the older Shandong carrier berthed side by side at Yulin Naval Base in Sanya. It was the first time the two carriers had been seen together at the same pier. Additional images indicated that four tugboats had escorted the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327658/chinese-carriers-pictured-side-side-speculation-grows-fujian-set-enter-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327658/chinese-carriers-pictured-side-side-speculation-grows-fujian-set-enter-service?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:30:12 +0000 Sylvie Zhuang Sylvie Zhuang China’s first drone-carrying amphibious assault vessel, the Sichuan, is expected to begin sea trials soon following the release of new images of the ship. Pictures circulating on social media showing that the covers had been removed from the Type 076’s electric launch catapult and that a radar system had apparently been installed generated speculation that the ship was ready for the trials. The release of the images came ahead of the week-long National Day holiday and followed the successful... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327143/chinas-drone-carrying-amphibious-assault-ship-sichuan-expected-start-sea-trials?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327143/chinas-drone-carrying-amphibious-assault-ship-sichuan-expected-start-sea-trials?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Sep 2025 13:00:10 +0000 Amber Wang Amber Wang China’s carrier-borne J-35 fighter has a radar cross-section smaller than a human palm, pointing to a big step forward in stealth technology, according to state media. The size of the cross-section – a measure of how detectable an object is by radar – was revealed in a programme aired on state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday. “As a stealth fighter, the J-35 series’ low observability comes from its unique airframe shape and the country’s proprietary metamaterial technology,” CCTV reported. “In the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327146/chinas-j-35-fighter-jet-stealthier-us-f-35?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3327146/chinas-j-35-fighter-jet-stealthier-us-f-35?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 Sep 2025 11:00:09 +0000 Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi Alcott Wei,Seong Hyeon Choi The successful launch of fighter jets from China’s most advanced aircraft carrier signals the country’s enhanced military influence in the western Pacific, analysts have said. The J-15T fighter jet, the fifth-generation J-35 stealth fighter and the airborne early warning aircraft KJ-600 successfully completed catapult launches and arresting gear landing tests aboard the Fujian, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday. The Fujian is China’s first fully domestically designed aircraft carrier and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326581/fujian-aircraft-carrier-launches-show-china-gaining-ground-western-pacific-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326581/fujian-aircraft-carrier-launches-show-china-gaining-ground-western-pacific-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Sep 2025 12:14:28 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has used its advanced electromagnetic catapults to launch all three types of fixed-wing aircraft developed for the vessel, passing another major test before commissioning. Quoting the navy, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Monday that J-15T fighters, fifth-generation J-35 stealth jets and carrier-based KJ-600 early warning and control aircraft completed catapult launch and arrest landing tests on the carrier. The J-35 is the world’s second... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326424/landmark-launch-chinas-j-35-stealth-jet-fujian-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3326424/landmark-launch-chinas-j-35-stealth-jet-fujian-aircraft-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 12:42:15 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s Fujian aircraft carrier, which is expected to be commissioned soon, is likely to be based in the South China Sea, according to military observers. Escorted by two destroyers, the third and most advanced carrier of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy departed from its shipbuilding yard in Shanghai last week, transited through the Taiwan Strait and entered the South China Sea. The Fujian headed to the waters for “scientific research experiments and training missions”, a “standard... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325722/will-fujian-find-its-home-port-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325722/will-fujian-find-its-home-port-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 10:00:18 +0000 Amber Wang,Wendy Wu Amber Wang,Wendy Wu China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct scientific research tests and training exercises in the South China Sea, the PLA Navy said on Friday. “The cross-regional tests and training are a routine mission of the carrier’s construction process and do not target any specific objects,” said navy spokesman Senior Colonel Leng Guowei, according to state news agency Xinhua. Photos and videos posted on social media showed the Fujian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325262/pla-aircraft-carrier-fujian-heads-south-china-sea-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325262/pla-aircraft-carrier-fujian-heads-south-china-sea-taiwan-strait?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 00:38:42 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has left its shipyard again, according to images from Chinese social media, adding to speculation that it will soon enter military service. On Wednesday afternoon, photos and videos posted on social media platforms showed the Fujian starting its engines and emitting thick smoke before slowly departing from the Changxing Island dock at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. Previously, the ship underwent three months of maintenance. State media reported... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325228/chinas-fujian-carrier-leaves-port-adding-signs-it-will-soon-enter-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3325228/chinas-fujian-carrier-leaves-port-adding-signs-it-will-soon-enter-service?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Sep 2025 12:18:28 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, could be officially commissioned as early as wartime anniversaries next month, a video by state broadcaster CCTV suggests. The video released on Saturday sought to draw a parallel between the Japanese naval incursions 88 years ago and the Fujian’s readiness to enter service, linking it with the memory of the Japanese invasion. China will be marking the 80th anniversary of victory over Japanese aggression with a military parade on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322941/chinas-fujian-carrier-may-join-service-next-month-japan-link-cctv-video-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3322941/chinas-fujian-carrier-may-join-service-next-month-japan-link-cctv-video-suggests?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 14:43:25 +0000 Enoch Wong 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... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3320599/chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-may-have-conducted-first-catapult-take-drill?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3320599/chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-may-have-conducted-first-catapult-take-drill?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Aug 2025 14:01:49 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao – https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3319123/chinas-aircraft-carrier-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3319123/chinas-aircraft-carrier-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 07:53:34 +0000 Enoch Wong Enoch Wong Rare close-up images of two PLA Navy J-35 stealth fighters flying in close formation have surfaced online, giving the clearest view yet of China’s next-generation carrier-based aircraft. A military observer said the markings and flight characteristics offered the strongest evidence yet that the J-35 had entered production and was approaching operational readiness for deployment aboard China’s latest aircraft carrier. Unlike previously circulated ground-based photos, the latest images appear to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3319049/chinas-fifth-gen-j-35-rare-close-images-suggest-stealth-jets-ready-fujian-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3319049/chinas-fifth-gen-j-35-rare-close-images-suggest-stealth-jets-ready-fujian-carrier?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Jul 2025 02:00:17 +0000 Hayley Wong Hayley Wong For the first time, China has unveiled the production facilities of its fifth-generation fighters, hinting at the aircrafts’ readiness for carrier-based catapult launchers. At least two J-35 fighter jets were spotted in a hangar of its developer, Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, during an interview with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday. The stealth aircraft – covered in green paint – were in the background as the TV anchor introduced the J-15T, a 4.5-generation multirole fighter that can... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3317744/fifth-generation-fighters-make-cameo-appearance-china-unveils-production-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3317744/fifth-generation-fighters-make-cameo-appearance-china-unveils-production-facilities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Jul 2025 12:00:48 +0000 Holly Chik Holly Chik China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, is expected to be able to carry out “deck load strikes”, a type of swarm attack that could help the country’s navy gain a first-mover advantage in combat, according to state broadcaster CCTV. A deck load strike refers to the ability to rapidly launch a large number of aircraft at once. This tactic was used by the US Navy during the Vietnam war for shock effect. While military experts had speculated that the Fujian would be able to carry out... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3315336/chinas-fujian-carrier-developing-swarm-attack-ability-overwhelm-enemy-cctv?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3315336/chinas-fujian-carrier-developing-swarm-attack-ability-overwhelm-enemy-cctv?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Jun 2025 10:00:15 +0000 Hayley Wong Hayley Wong The Fujian, China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, is expected to be commissioned by the end of the year, according to state broadcaster CCTV. In a feature broadcast on Tuesday, the third anniversary of the ship’s launch, Wei Dongxu, a CCTV military commentator, said: “The sea trials of the Fujian have made very good progress and it is expected to enter service this year.” On Monday state media dropped another hint that the ship would soon be entering service by referring to an “era” when the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3314670/china-hints-fujian-aircraft-carrier-may-soon-be-commissioned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3314670/china-hints-fujian-aircraft-carrier-may-soon-be-commissioned?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jun 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma Brian Rhoads,Raymond Ma The Trump administration has started a review of Joe Biden’s Aukus nuclear submarine deal with Australia, just as China flexes its muscles by sending two aircraft carriers on an unprecedented deployment in the Pacific. “We are reviewing Aukus as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous administration is aligned with the president’s America First agenda,” a US official said of the review, which was first reported by the Financial Times. China has criticised the 2021 Aukus accord,... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3314152/trump-puts-submarine-pact-rough-waters-china-touts-strength?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3314152/trump-puts-submarine-pact-rough-waters-china-touts-strength?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 09:00:34 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen In an unprecedented show of strength, the Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong have been conducting exercises in the western Pacific Ocean beyond the second island chain. The People’s Liberation Army’s Navy said on Tuesday it had deployed two carrier groups in the Western Pacific and surrounding waters and conducted exercises to test their “far-sea defences and joint operational capabilities”. “It is a routine training exercise organised according to the annual plan, aiming to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3313809/chinas-liaoning-and-shandong-aircraft-carriers-sail-beyond-second-island-chain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3313809/chinas-liaoning-and-shandong-aircraft-carriers-sail-beyond-second-island-chain?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 08:26:17 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has undergone an “intensive” eighth sea trial, according to state media. Its ship-borne fifth-generation J-35 stealth fighters, fitted for catapult launch, have also carried out tests and flights, according to a Saturday report by state broadcaster CCTV. The report did not specify whether the J-35 jets were being launched from the Fujian. A local maritime safety administration issued traffic control warnings for Wednesday morning for the area... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3311729/chinas-advanced-fujian-carrier-conducts-intensive-eighth-sea-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3311729/chinas-advanced-fujian-carrier-conducts-intensive-eighth-sea-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 May 2025 13:00:13 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen China’s state broadcaster has given a glimpse of the cutting-edge jet launch system in action on the country’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian. CCTV included the footage of the electromagnetic catapult system in a report last week, with a view from an unidentified aircraft hurtling along the deck. But the report also dampened speculation that the Fujian would be ready for service this year, pointing out that the complexity of the launch system meant that it would need longer sea... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3309290/china-gives-glimpse-fujian-aircraft-carriers-catapult-technology-action?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3309290/china-gives-glimpse-fujian-aircraft-carriers-catapult-technology-action?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 14:00:09 +0000 China is ramping up performance testing of its most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, as it accelerates towards commissioning, according to commercial satellite images that were posted on social media. In the images – said to have been taken on Friday and Saturday from above the Bohai Sea, northeastern China – the Fujian’s steering and turning capabilities appear to be the focus of testing. Straight trails can be seen in the wake of the Fujian, along with circles of decreasing diameter, in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3304548/eye-sky-captures-chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-practising-manoeuvres?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3304548/eye-sky-captures-chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-practising-manoeuvres?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 10:00:14 +0000 China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, is undergoing its seventh sea trial, raising expectations that it could be commissioned this year. The world’s largest conventionally powered warship left the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai for the trial on Tuesday afternoon. The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration had issued a traffic control warning for the area around the mouth of the Yangtze River for that time. Photos posted on social media showed the 80,000-tonne aircraft carrier on the move,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3303398/chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-sets-seventh-sea-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3303398/chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-sets-seventh-sea-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Mar 2025 11:00:10 +0000 China’s military has accelerated pilot training for the Fujian aircraft carrier, believed to be for operating KJ-600 early warning aircraft, according to state media. According to a video released by state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday, the Naval Aviation University of the People’s Liberation Army has been using land-based aircraft to train pilots for a new type of carrier-based “special mission” aircraft, which has not yet entered into service. The training was intended to ensure pilot... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3297497/china-trains-special-mission-pilots-combat-readiness-fujian-carrier-cctv?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3297497/china-trains-special-mission-pilots-combat-readiness-fujian-carrier-cctv?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Feb 2025 13:00:14 +0000 China’s most advanced carrier the Fujian has returned from its latest sea trial with tyre marks on its deck that suggest more intensive aircraft tests than its previous voyage. Analysts said those marks were probably the result of “touch-and-go” landings – where planes touch down on the flight deck and then take off again immediately – conducted during its sixth and latest sea trial. They had yet to see clear signs of catapult-assisted launches – a critical milestone for demonstrating the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3294258/chinas-fujian-carrier-shows-signs-heavier-flight-deck-activity-after-latest-sea-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3294258/chinas-fujian-carrier-shows-signs-heavier-flight-deck-activity-after-latest-sea-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Jan 2025 09:19:16 +0000 The first of a new series of Chinese amphibious attack ships could be in service by the end of 2026, a Chinese military expert told state media on the weekend, roughly a week after the launch of the warship. Jets could also be doing test take-offs from the country’s latest aircraft carrier this year, Shao Yongling, a former professor of the People’s Liberation Army Rocket (PLA) Force Command College, said in a programme aired by state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday. Shao’s forecasts follow the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3293490/could-chinas-newest-amphibious-warship-type-076-be-service-next-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3293490/could-chinas-newest-amphibious-warship-type-076-be-service-next-year?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Jan 2025 10:00:17 +0000 China’s military appears to have practised landing warplanes on the flight deck of the country’s third aircraft carrier – the Fujian – for the first time, based on images that have circulated online showing tyre marks on the deck. The pictures surfaced on Chinese and Western social media after the vessel’s fifth sea trial concluded last week. But analysts said there was no sign the ship’s advanced launch catapult at been used. Ahead of the trial, at the biannual Zhuhai air show last month, China... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3290291/chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-nearing-take-tests-after-photos-show-tyre-marks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3290291/chinas-fujian-aircraft-carrier-nearing-take-tests-after-photos-show-tyre-marks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Dec 2024 07:21:54 +0000 Chinese navy warplanes will make their first appearance at the country’s largest air show next week, an event that will also be the first to feature three stealth fighters – two from the host country along with one from Russia. A J-15T, a variant of the country’s first carrier-based fighter J-15, landed in Zhuhai on Wednesday, making it the first time a PLA Navy jet goes on display at the event in the southern province of Guangdong, according to state broadcaster CCTV. The J-15 is a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3285421/chinese-navy-show-its-warplanes-first-time-zhuhai-air-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3285421/chinese-navy-show-its-warplanes-first-time-zhuhai-air-show?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 08:41:53 +0000 Beijing has said for the first time that its most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has tested its launch catapult. A trailer for a military-themed TV series released by state broadcaster CCTV on Wednesday showed footage apparently filmed from the carrier’s flight deck. These included shots seemingly taken from a camera mounted under a warplane as it took off using the electromagnetic launch system and what appeared to be a sailor in an operations room triggering the device. The Fujian,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3278269/china-says-fujian-aircraft-carrier-has-tested-catapult-launch-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3278269/china-says-fujian-aircraft-carrier-has-tested-catapult-launch-system?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Sep 2024 13:00:11 +0000 China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, may be embarking on its third sea trial starting from Wednesday after the maritime authorities sealed off traffic in the Yangtze estuary. Such a rapid succession of trials – the first was held in early May – would indicate the “smooth” progress of the tests so far, according to military observers. The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration issued a notice saying inbound and outbound ships would face traffic controls around the exit... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3269054/chinas-aircraft-carrier-fujian-may-be-set-third-sea-trial-quick-succession?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3269054/chinas-aircraft-carrier-fujian-may-be-set-third-sea-trial-quick-succession?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jul 2024 12:00:13 +0000