Advertisement
China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, enters service
World’s largest conventionally powered warship makes China the second country to field a carrier with electromagnetic catapults after the US
Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
76
China’s third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, entered into service on Wednesday at a grand ceremony in Sanya, Hainan province, according to state media reports on Friday.
The Fujian is China’s most advanced warship and its first aircraft carrier to be equipped with electromagnetic catapults.
Its inauguration makes China only the second country, after the United States, to operate a carrier with this aircraft launch technology.
Advertisement
President Xi Jinping attended the ceremony and boarded the Fujian afterwards to hear briefings on aircraft carrier combat capabilities and the use of its electromagnetic catapults, according to state news agency Xinhua.
01:29
What is known about the Fujian, China’s first home-designed aircraft carrier
What is known about the Fujian, China’s first home-designed aircraft carrier
The report also said the decision to use the catapult technology on the Fujian was made by Xi himself.
Advertisement
Xi was briefed by the ship’s commanding officers and spoke to Fujian warplane pilots about the aircraft’s technical and tactical performance and the advantages of electromagnetic catapults, Xinhua reported.
Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2x faster
1.25x
250 WPM
Slow
Average
Fast
1.25x