Military Watch Magazine

China’s Supercarrier Ops. Becoming More Complex: Navy’s Offensive Capabilities Growing Rapidly

One year after China’s first supercarrier, the Fujian, was commissioned into service on November 5 2025, Chinese sources have widely reported that the warship and its air wing are poised to take part in significantly more complex operations. Referred to by Chinese state media as having reached an optimised operational state, significant questions have been raised regarding how the carrier’s operations will now evolve. Developing and operating the supercarrier has posed significant challenges, with the warship integrating a much larger and more diverse air wing that preceding Chinese carriers, and using an electromagnetic catapult system with new training requirements. Having largely perfected operating individual aircraft successfully, the air wing is expected to shift towards coordinating as an integrted combat force under demanding conditions.