Military experts say sea trials are expected to take at least a year, with the first phase focusing on power, navigation and communications systems to support the catapult and all-electric integrated power system.
Experts say the first sea trials are unlikely to include takeoff and landing tests, although images and video footage published by official media show no aircraft on the carrier’s deck.
The first signs of preparations came on Tuesday when an unusual maritime traffic restriction was announced around the mouth of the Yangtze River from 4:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, with military experts saying this could lead to a trial. He said it could open.
The Jiangnan Shipyard, where the aircraft carrier was built, is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River.
A separate notice from maritime authorities on Tuesday said “military activities” would be carried out in the East China Sea from 7 a.m. May 1 to 9 a.m. May 9, with “unrelated vessels” entering designated waters. said that it would be prohibited.
The first sea test will “mainly test the reliability and stability of the carrier’s propulsion system and electrical system,” Xinhua reported.
“Since its launch in June 2022, the Fujian has completed mooring trials, outfitting work and equipment adjustment. It meets the technical requirements for sea trials,” it added.
Fujian is China’s third aircraft carrier and the first to be built to a domestic design. The People’s Liberation Army plans to have a total of six aircraft carriers by 2035, making it the world’s second-largest blue-water navy after the United States.
Today’s first test is the first of many for Fujian, which will require several years of testing before it is ready for full service. China’s existing aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong have undergone 10 and 9 tests, respectively.
The USS Gerald R. Ford is the world’s only aircraft carrier with a Catapult Assisted Takeoff Barrier Arrest and Recovery System (CATOBAR) and was commissioned in 2017, but its first deployment did not occur until 2022.
Song Zhongping, a former People’s Liberation Army instructor and military commentator, said it is difficult to estimate the duration of the trial period, “because it depends on the circumstances of the first sea trial, including the adaptability of the test.” [propulsion, electrical, navigation and communication] system”.
“At the end of the day, they are all new systems, including the all-electric integrated power system,” he said, adding that the aircraft’s take-off test will take place “at a later date.”
02:17
China airs footage of Fujian aircraft carrier equipped with advanced catapult launch system
China airs footage of Fujian aircraft carrier equipped with advanced catapult launch system
If the initial tests go well, the Fujian jet will be ready for the next “trial run” phase in about a year, during which it will undergo continued testing, including flight takeoffs with the new catapult, Song said. Ta.
China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was originally built as half a Soviet Kuznetsov-class ship and was refurbished before entering service in 2012. Her second aircraft carrier of the People’s Liberation Army Navy, “Shandong”, is based on the “Liaoning” design. Like Fujian, these are conventional aircraft carriers.
Fujian has been described as China’s “supercarrier” and is more advanced than its two predecessors, using smaller, less efficient ski jumps to help planes take off.
Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense warned that if a cross-strait conflict were to occur, Fujian would pose a “serious threat” to the island, which Beijing considers part of its territory.
Although most countries, including the United States, do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, the United States opposes any attempt to seize the self-governing island by force and does not recommend arming the island to assist in its defense. We are working hard to.
