Chinese Supercarrier Makes First Transit Through Taiwan Strait During Sea Trials

The Chinese supercarrier the Fujian has for the first time sailed through the Taiwan Strait, with the warship subsequently sailing into the South China Sea for training an research trials. Unconfirmed reports indicate that the currently ongoing sea trials, which are the ninth for the new aircraft carrier, will be the last before the 85,000 ton warship enters service in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy. Carrier based aircraft are training for takeoff and landing from the deck of the Fujian, the air wing of which will include helicopters, KJ-600 airborne warning and control systems, J-15D electronic attack jets, and J-15 and J-35 fighter aircraft, as well as various unmanned aircraft deployed for both combat and support roles. The conclusion of sea trials would represent a major landmark in China’s carrier program, making the country the first in the world to field a large supercarrier other than the United States. With the warship being by far the world’s largest outside the U.S. Navy, the results of testing are also expected to heavily influence decisions on future carrier procurements, with significant uncertainty remaining regarding whether further ships of the same design will be ordered.

In early June the Fujian was confirmed to have begun its eighth sea trials, during which it began testing its electromagnetic catapult system. In early August a documentary released by Chinese state media provided the first footage of aircraft performing catapult-assisted takeoffs from the warship, providing a significantly improved capability over to the ski jump launch systems on China’s two previous carriers theLiaoning and Shandong. Such launch systems provide significantly more energy to launching aircraft, allowing them to take off with larger weapons payloads and greater fuel loads while reducing strain on their engines and airframes.The Fujian’s transit through the Taiwan Strait represents a show of force by China’s Navy, with the island remaining under the control of the Republic of China government based in Taipei, which claims to be the sole legitimate government of the Chinese nation. The two rival Chinese governments remain in a state of civil war, and although the Republic of China lacks international recognition, it continues to receive considerable material and intelligence support from across the Western world.