Fujian carrier launch tech catapults China’s naval power

China’s Fujian aircraft carrier, boasting state-of-the-art electromagnetic catapults, is set to revolutionize the People’s Liberation Army-Navy’s (PLAN) maritime prowess, edging closer to challenging US naval dominance at sea.

This month, The War Zone reported that China’s PLAN showcased its latest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, with a state-of-the-art catapult system and retractable enclosed control station, also referred to as the “bubble” and reminiscent of those found on US Navy carriers.

The War Zone notes that the footage, released this month, reveals the carrier undergoing its fourth sea trial in Bohai Bay, northeastern China. The Fujian, China’s first Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) carrier, employs electromagnetic catapults, significantly enhancing the PLAN’s operational capabilities, the report said.

The catapult system, highlighted in a promotional video, features three electromagnetic catapults and a control station integrated into the flight deck, mirroring the US Navy’s Ford-class carriers.

The War Zone says that successfully launching aircraft from Fujian will mark a significant milestone for the PLAN, positioning China alongside the US in deploying electromagnetic aircraft launch systems (EMALS).

The Fujian’s EMALS technology marks a critical shift from the limitations of ski-ramp systems, offering greater operational flexibility, efficiency and launch capabilities—though reliability challenges will still underscore the gap between Chinese and US carrier expertise.

In a February 2009 article for The Aeronautical Journal, A Fry and other writers mention that ski-ramp designs for aircraft carriers, while advantageous for short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft, present