China conducts first sea trials of new Type 003 aircraft carrier Fujian

 

The Fujian during sea trials. Photo c/o The Aviationist.

China has commenced the initial sea trials for its new Type 003 aircraft carrier last 01 May 2024, as reported by Chinese state-owned media outlet Xinhua.

The aircraft carrier, which was named Fujian (18) after the Chinese southern province, left the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shangai around 8:00am local time, with the sea trials meant to test the reliability and stability of the ship’s propulsion and electrical systems.

The aircraft carrier would become the most capable in the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fleet once it is commissioned, and will feature a Catapult Assisted Take-off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) system employing Electromagnetic Aircraft Launching System (EMALS) which is a first for the service.

The ship was launched on June 2022, and is undergoing a series of dockside testing prior to the initial sea trials. 

The ship is reported to have a length of around 316 meters and a full load displacement of around 80,000 tonnes, and is expected to be home to Chinese-made carrier-based fighter aircraft like the J-15 Flanker and J-35 Gyrfalcon.

[1] CNN

[2] South China Morning Post

[3] The War Zone