China’s First Supercarrier Confirmed to Become Fully Operational in 2026: Why Far Seas Training is Vital For the Fujian

Chinese state media outlets have confirmed that the country’s first supercarrier, the Fujian, will undergo a full transition from initial to full operational capability before the end of the year. Commenting on the transition, state media quoted defence expert Wei Dongxu observed: "When we see the Fujian achieving full aircraft loadouts and demonstrating the ability to launch and recover aircraft across its entire deck, we can consider its combat capability to be fully developed.” He added that the aircraft carrier's far-sea training will proceed in two steps, first achieving the ability to deploy as a strike group, and then honing an ability to operate in distant waters.

Elaborating on the complexities of conducting far seas operations, Wei observed that once such exercises began in the Pacific external interference could come into play, including contact with surveillance aircraft and other ships from potentially unfriendly countries. This would force strike group to respond quickly, flexibly, and precisely. Far-sea training thus requires both a high level of combat readiness and comprehensive preparation for emergency situations. With hostile navies and reconnaissance aircraft heavily concentrated around Chinese territory, in particular in Japan and the East China Sea, the Fujian and its escort have far less room to operate unmolested than U.S. European, Indian or Russian carriers do. 

The commencing of far sea training is particularly critical since the Fujian’s primarily utility is for precisely such operations, as within the first island chain land-based aviation leaves only a limited role for carrier aviation, particularly when considering the long ranges of China’s land-based fighters. The carrier's mission is to project power in distant waters. Far-sea training is expected to build systematic integrated operational capability for an entire air wing. The supecarrier’s primary escort is expected to be comprised of Type 055 and Type 052D class destroyers, as well as Type 093 class and later Type 095 class nuclear powered attack submarines. 

Since its commissioning in November 2025, basic training on the Fujian has largely been completed, and an initial combat capability has been achieved, wit crews having completed training in aviation operations in both simple and complex weather conditions, and in both daytime and nighttime. This paves the way to the beginning of mission-oriented training. The pace by which training has been completed is considered particularly rapid, aligning with broader trends towards the Chinese People’s Liberation Army developing new capabilities in fractions of the time it takes services abroad. A notable example was that the Fujian was able to become the world’s first aircraft carrier to integrate stealth fighters with an electromagnetic propulsion system, primarily due to the extreme delays faced in the United States when attempting to do the same.