Armament
Type 003 Fujian – the Chinese want to overtake the US Navy with this aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier “Type 003 Fujian” with the catapults, they were covered for a long time.
©CCTV
The construction of the aircraft carrier “USS Gerald Ford” was accompanied by bankruptcies and delays. The US Navy couldn’t get the electromagnetic catapults and elevators under control. If the Chinese don’t have any problems, it would be humiliating. A fourth carrier has already been announced, possibly with nuclear power
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has completed the first sea trials of its third aircraft carrier. The full operational readiness of “Type 003 Fujian” is expected in early 2026.
This third carrier is a huge step forward for the Chinese Navy; it is technically close to the most modern US carrier “USS Gerald Ford” and is a completely independent development. The first carrier was a Soviet model of the Kuznetsov class that was never completed. The “Varya” was acquired by Ukraine. The second, “Type 002 Shandong”, was built entirely in China but conformed to the USSR design.
Aircraft carrier “Type 003 Fujian” uses electromagnetic catapults
The Soviet design did not have a catapult to launch the jets, only a ski jump. When they land, a safety rope slows them down. The STOBAR (Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery) procedure limits the weight and size of aircraft that can be launched. Apart from the latest generation, the USS Ford class, the US carriers were equipped with a steam-powered catapult. The “Fujian” skipped this step in carrier evolution and immediately started using an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) and an Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG). These systems require far less staff and space on board and should – at least in principle – require less maintenance. At 80,000 tons, the “Fujian” is slightly smaller than the “USS Gerald Ford” (100,000 tons) and is not powered by a nuclear reactor. With 60 to 70 aircraft, their air fleet is also smaller; the “USS Gerald Ford” houses around 100 jets.
What is the significance of the China carrier?
With the “Fujian” and the accompanying Type 055 missile cruisers, the PLA is developing into a “blue water navy” that can also operate far away from its own coasts. The Navy’s main task to date is to secure its own waters. In order to be able to hold its own against the US Navy, it works together with several ground-based defense lines.
At the same time, however, the “003 Fujian” is a glimpse of what is to come. The “Fujian” is still smaller and less powerful than the Ford-class carriers, but China wants to build at least three more carriers and increase the fleet to six by 2023. It is not to be expected that the Chinese will stop at what they have achieved and that further models like 003 will be on the way. According to Western experts, Model 004 will probably have a nuclear drive.
“Type 003 Fujian” shows the speed of innovation
The pace of Chinese innovation should be a concern. The USA had to struggle for a long time with electromagnetic technology for catapults and elevators. The delay of several years caused former President Trump to become angry and he threatened to have the new technology torn out. If the Chinese don’t have comparable problems with the same technology, it would be a bitter lesson for the proud US Navy. Admiral John C. Aquilino, commander of the United States Indo-Pacific Command, warned shortly before he left the service in May 2024 that of Russia, China and North Korea, China is “the only country that has the capability, capacity and intent “To turn the international order on its head.” “The building of the People’s Liberation Army is occurring in the land, sea, air, space, cyber and information domains on a scale not seen since World War II.” China’s military has added more than 400 fighter jets and 20 warships to its arsenal in the past three years and doubled its missile inventory, Aquilino said.
Key technology in Beijing
The US experimented with a cannon using electromagnetic technology, but dropped the project. In China, the electromagnetic pulse is considered a key technology. The first fleet of high-speed trains with magnetic levitation technology is currently being built, and railguns are being researched. This technology is also intended to accelerate civil and military missiles during takeoff. In parallel with the expansion plans, the PLA Navy will deploy female pilots. The first group completed its first solo flights on April 25 at the University of Naval Aviation in Yantai. The training will be completed in 2026, in line with the commissioning of the “003 Fujian”.