China Launches New 80,000-Ton Aircraft Carrier in the Pacific

What Happened?

China recently put to sea a new 80,000-ton super aircraft carrier named the Fujian, which can carry up to sixty combat aircraft. The Fujian is the flagship of a new Chinese carrier strike group, which consists of about a dozen other warships and support vessels for the new aircraft carrier. Fujian is powered by conventional fuel, unlike American aircraft carriers, which are nuclear powered.

The Fujian uses electromagnetic catapults to launch aircraft, making China the only other country to develop and use this technology besides the United States.

Why it Matters

‘We’re really entering a new era here,’ said Lyle Goldstein, an associate professor at the Naval War College. The new carrier will give China an increased ability to project power in the Pacific, and is clearly designed to challenge the naval primacy of the United States. China’s President, Xi Jinping, has vowed to create a military force that will equal the American military by the year 2049. 

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Because the new carrier can employ a wide range of aircraft from reconnaissance and surveillance to strike planes, China now has the capability to threaten and intimidate neighbors like Taiwan. The Fujian’s new strike group is primarily built for offensive combat operations not defense, making it an ideal asset for China to employ against rivals in the Pacific region. Should China ever choose to enforce a naval blockade of Taiwan, which it has threatened to do in the past, the Fujian would be a critical asset for that effort. 

The conventional fuel source of the Fujian is a significant limitation, because it means the carrier will have less range and endurance than American nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. More frequent needs to refuel and shorter operating ranges will likely limit the Fujian to waters closer to China, which includes Taiwan. That is probably not much of a concern for China, because the vessel isn’t designed or intended for long-range or global operations. 

Using an electromagnetic catapult system is an important improvement for a Chinese carrier, because that type of system will allow it to launch bigger and heavier aircraft from its deck. That means it can carry the latest and most capable Chinese aircraft instead of the smaller and slower airframes previously used on older models. 

The new carrier can also launch China’s KJ-600 early warning aircraft, which is similar to the U.S. Navy’s E-2 Hawkeye. Being able to see farther means an increased range for threat detection, which gives the carrier the ability to avoid danger sooner. 

How it Affects You

While the new Fujian carrier does not equal the most powerful American aircraft carriers, it does represent a significant improvement in capabilities for the Chinese Navy. China will likely increase the number of exercises and operations in and around Taiwan in the near future to test and refine the capabilities of its newest flagship. 

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