1st May 2024 at 11:15am
China’s newest aircraft carrier, which features a next-generation electromagnetic catapult, has set sail for her maiden sea trials.
The Fujan, China’s third aircraft carrier, left Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard at around 8am local time.
The sea trials will test the carrier’s propulsion and electrical systems, as well as assess the living conditions for the crew, according to an expert quoted in Chinese media.
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Once commissioned by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, the Fujian is expected to play a crucial role in the future development of China’s naval capabilities, according to Song Xiaojun, a Chinese expert on military affairs.
The Fujian is the only vessel other than the US Navy’s Gerald R Ford-class carriers to feature a next-generation electromagnetic catapult.
A catapult can launch an aircraft much faster than a ramp, allowing for a quicker launch.
An electromagnetic catapult is less demanding on power and water than its steam catapult predecessor.
However, according to Trevor Hollingsbee, a defence and security analyst, there are reliability issues when it comes to electromagnetic catapults.
The Fujan was launched in June 2022 and has since completed her mooring trials.
She is much larger and technologically more advanced than the Shandong, which was commissioned in 2019.
China’s first aircraft carrier was the Soviet-built Liaoning, which China bought second-hand from Ukraine in 1998 and refitted domestically