China's newly-commissioned Aircraft Carrier Fujian conducts 1st naval drill

ISTANBUL

China’s Aircraft Carrier Fujian conducted its first naval drill after it was commissioned on Nov. 5, China Military Online reported on Tuesday.

A Chinese carrier strike group that consisted of various vessels including the aircraft carrier Fujian, guided-missile destroyer Yan'an, and guided-missile frigate Tongliao, recently returned to a military port in Sanya City, south China's Hainan province after concluding maritime training exercises.

During the drills, various types of carrier-based aircraft completed multiple electromagnetic catapult-assisted takeoff and arrested landing training missions to test Fujian’s electromagnetic catapult and arresting systems with multiple aircraft types.

The vessels also conducted exercises for multiple tasks such as formation navigation and joint ship-aircraft search and rescue operations.

Beijing's first electromagnetic catapult-equipped aircraft carrier, the Fujian, is capable of hosting catapult-assisted takeoff and landing for the J-15T heavy fighter jet, the J-35 stealth fighter jet, and the KJ-600 early warning aircraft, according to local media.

The Fujian, first unveiled in June 2022, is the Chinese navy's largest-ever ship and China's third aircraft carrier after the Liaoning and the Shandong vessels.