China's 3rd Carrier Fujian To Become Operational This Year (2023)

 Here is a quick video of China's third aircraft carrier the Fujian (between 85,000 to 100,000 tons, only the Chinese know for sure).

The carrier is super high tech in that it has EMALS (Electro-Magnetic Aircraft Launch System). This is basically 'rail-gun' technology to shoot aircraft into the air. The EMALS is smaller, occupies less space and can launch airplanes carrying a heavier load of fuel and weapons. So it is good for the ship and good for the airplane.

The older steam catapult system required huge steam generators, pistons and cables to launch the airplanes.

The Fujian also has a 'turbo-electric' cable system to "catch" or arrest the airplanes when they land. The older system of cables was hydraulic, again heavy, occupying space and with heavy maintenance.

 

To me the more interesting fact is the super quick time the Chinese took to build this third aircraft carrier - from keel laying (Feb 2016??) to launch (June 2017) to operation (June 2023)??

The building of the Fujian's hull took about two years. The fitting out, weapons, armament, mooring and sea trials, aircraft launch trials has taken almost six years. I am sure that for their fourth aircraft carrier the Chinese will be able to reduce the time for the fitting out, weapons, flight and sea trials.

How many aircraft carriers will China build? 

So far all their three carriers are named after their coastal provinces : Liaoning, Shandong and Fujian. China has NINE coastal provinces :