High-Intensity Training Tackles Challenges Item by Item, Fujian Ship Advances Towards "Full Combat Capability" One Year After Commissioning

[Global Times Report, Reporter Guo Yuandan] On November 5, our country's first electromagnetic catapult aircraft carrier, the Fujian, celebrated its first anniversary of commissioning. Chinese military experts, in an interview with the Global Times, stated that in the year since its commissioning, the Fujian has completed the transition from platform verification to system integration, is undergoing high-intensity training to achieve "full combat capability," and is pushing the People's Navy into the era of "three aircraft carrier rotations."

The Fujian is China's first aircraft carrier designed and built entirely independently, and it is also the world's first conventionally powered electromagnetic catapult aircraft carrier. The Fujian was officially commissioned on November 5, 2025. After commissioning, the Fujian immediately conducted its first live training mission at sea, with multiple types of carrier-based aircraft, including the J-35, J-15T, J-15DT, and KJ-600, completing several rounds of catapult takeoffs and landings. Additionally, the Fujian has successively passed through the Taiwan Strait into the South China Sea for training, and then northward through the Taiwan Strait into the East China Sea and Yellow Sea, conducting cross-sea area test training multiple times.

Three Major Developments

"In the year since its commissioning, the Fujian has seen three major developments," military expert Song Zhongping stated to the Global Times on the 5th. First, after a long period of experimental service, the Fujian's hull shape, internal structure, electrical and power systems, and electromagnetic catapult support systems have all been effectively tested. "This is China's first large aircraft carrier with a flat deck, and the experiences of the Fujian over the past year demonstrate that its design is reliable and meets China's actual needs for developing large aircraft carriers."

Song Zhongping explained that the second development is the substantial achievements in carrier-aircraft coordination. The Fujian is no longer just a "ship that can run," but has initially developed capabilities for air operations, support, and sustained operations. Third, it has begun to establish a carrier battle group system. In the year since its commissioning, the Fujian has conducted matching training with other ships multiple times, including formation sailing, command coordination, and joint support between ships and aircraft. "This step lays the foundation for creating a complete carrier battle group—once the formation integration is completed, the Fujian will have initial systematic combat and support capabilities."

Within a year, the Fujian has completed the leap from "multiple types of carrier-based aircraft taking off and landing, initially possessing full deck operation capabilities" to "formation live training and cross-sea area maneuvers," achieving a certain level of ship coordination and initially possessing combat capabilities. "This pace is indeed rare in the history of global aircraft carrier development; it has accomplished in one year what other countries have taken several years to achieve," military expert Zhang Junsha told the Global Times on the 5th. Currently, the Fujian has the capability for cross-sea long-range operations, and the coordination among the formation's ships has reached a certain level, essentially forming combat capabilities.

It is reported that the so-called "basic formation of combat capability" means that the Fujian can normally set sail, carrier-based aircraft can take off and land on the deck, and basic formation training can be conducted with escort vessels. "Achieving 'full combat capability' requires a leap from a low-level state of 'being able to sail, take off and land, and fight limited battles' to a complete operational capability of 'being able to engage in high-intensity, all-weather, systematic, and sustainable warfare.' At the same time, all ships in the formation must be highly coordinated to ensure that the carrier battle group has the systematic capability for sustained operations in distant seas," Zhang Junsha analyzed.

Three Thresholds

Currently, the Fujian is undergoing high-intensity training to tackle each challenge, making solid progress toward achieving full combat capability. Zhang Junsha believes that the Fujian still needs to overcome three significant thresholds to fully achieve combat capability: first, full-deck operations under maximum load, upgrading from "able to launch" to "able to conduct high-intensity continuous launches"; second, takeoffs and landings under complex conditions, with nighttime and adverse sea conditions being recognized challenges, requiring pilots to obtain nighttime qualification certification; third, deep integration of the formation system, achieving integrated command and information sharing between ships and aircraft.

Moreover, distant sea training is the final piece of the "puzzle" for the Fujian to fully achieve combat capability. Song Zhongping stated, "Next, the Fujian carrier battle group will advance into the Western Pacific, and even enter more unfamiliar and complex distant sea areas, such as the Indian Ocean, to conduct distant sea deployments and realistic training exercises, testing sustained combat, supply support, and adaptability to complex sea conditions."

The Era of Three Aircraft Carrier Rotations

From the Liaoning to the Shandong and now to the Fujian, the People's Navy has entered the era of three aircraft carriers.

"The true value of the era of three aircraft carriers lies not in the visual shock of three ships in the same frame, but in the operational system of 'duty—training—maintenance' in rotation," Zhang Junsha analyzed. The three aircraft carriers constitute the minimum threshold for maintaining uninterrupted maritime presence: one on duty, one in training, and one under maintenance. In the single aircraft carrier era, going to sea was about "squeezing time," while in the three aircraft carrier era, there is a "schedule." Once the rotation runs smoothly, the aircraft carrier will upgrade from a scarce resource that is "only brought out when needed" to a strategic tool that is "always ready to be deployed."

"Of course, it is also possible that the Fujian will conduct joint exercises and training with the Liaoning and Shandong, forming dual or even triple aircraft carrier battle groups." Song Zhongping believes that the significance of joint exercises and training among three aircraft carriers is substantial. On one hand, it indicates that China has the capability to mobilize multiple large aircraft carriers simultaneously. On the other hand, joint exercises and training of dual or even triple aircraft carrier battle groups, coordinated with other military branches, will be more targeted and closer to real combat scenarios, such as military preparations regarding Taiwan. This expert emphasized that this means the operational use of the Fujian carrier battle group will gradually shift from "verifying performance" to "carrying out missions," from "training platforms" to "training tasks."