China’s New Supercarrier Air Wing Prioritises ‘Flying Radars’ and Stealth Strike Capabilities in Latest Training

Satellite images of the Chinese supecarrier Fujian during exercises have provided new insight into the types of aircraft that are being operated from its deck, indicating the kinds of capabilities which may be being prioritised. The Fujian was commissioned into service on November 5, and is now permanently based at Sanya Military Port on Hainan Island, positioning it optimally for operations in the South China Sea. Its service entry has been a major landmark in the modernisation of the Chinese carrier fleet, with no other aircraft carriers outside the U.S. Navy having comparable combat potentials. Its combination of three separate runways for simultaneous launches, an electromagnetic catapult system, and cutting edge air wing, making it a close contender for the title of the world’s most capable operational aircraft carrier. 

The Fujian was pictured from space with eight aircraft on its deck, including two J-15 long range combat aircraft, three KJ-600 airborne early warning and control systems, and three J-35 fifth generation fighters. The KJ-600 is one of just two carrier based AEW&C systems in the world, alongside the E-2 developed for the U.S. Navy, while the J-35 is the only fighter of its generation fielded from a carrier with an electromagnetic catapult system. The proportion of KJ-600s seen on the Fujian’s deck was unusually high relative to other aircraft, and may indicate that training was underway for operations centred on maximising situational awareness, and potentially pairing this with the unique capabilities of the J-35. It also remains highly possible that the two J-15s on deck were J-15D electronic warfare aircraft, which can significantly increase the survivability of aircraft flying alongside them and potentially mask them from radar detection. 

The latest image was taken during flight training in Bohai Bay in Tianjin, eastern Hebei province, near the Chinese capital Beijing. The KJ-600, J-15D, and J-35 all provide the Fujian’s air wing with particularly distinct advantages and a far greater combat potential than all other non-U.S. carrier air wings, with even U.S. Navy supercarriers lacking fully peer level combat aircraft. The J-35’s range, radar size, weapons payload, and flight performance all significantly exceed those of the rival F-35C, while the J-15D has a far longer range, and can carry a larger sensor suite and more weaponry than its sole foreign rival the U.S. Navy E/A-18G. The KJ-600’s outstandingly large radars and advanced data links allow the Fujian to be deployed for airborne early warning operations out to sea, potentially in defensive roles to complement ground-based AEW&C systems by providing an earlier warning of approaching aircraft or missiles.