J-35 Stealth Fighter and KJ-600 AEW&C Fly from China's Fujian Carrier in Key CATOBAR Milestone

China’s third aircraft carrier, the Type 003 “Fujian,” has entered a new phase of sea trials with the launch and recovery of its next-generation carrier air wing. Recent imagery confirms flight operations involving the stealthy J-35 fighter, the legacy J-15 multirole jet, and the KJ-600 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform—marking a significant milestone for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as it transitions to a fully CATOBAR-capable naval aviation force.

Fujian’s CATOBAR System Comes Alive

The Type 003 Fujian is China’s first aircraft carrier equipped with a Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) system. Unlike its predecessors—the ski-jump-equipped Liaoning and Shandong—Fujian uses electromagnetic catapults (EMALS), akin to those on the U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class carriers.

Images released in September 2025 show at least two types of catapults operational on deck—likely EMALS rails positioned along both portside and centerline tracks. The use of EMALS enables launch of heavier fixed-wing aircraft like AEW&C platforms and fully loaded fighters without relying on afterburner-heavy takeoffs from ski-jumps.

This technological leap allows PLAN to field a more capable air wing with enhanced range, payload flexibility, sortie rate—and critically—greater interoperability between different types of manned aircraft.

First Operational Flights of J-35 Stealth Fighter

The most notable development is the appearance of the fifth-generation J-35 stealth fighter aboard Fujian. Previously known as FC-31 or “Gyrfalcon,” this twin-engine design by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation has long been speculated as China’s answer to U.S. F-35C naval fighters. The version seen aboard Fujian features folding wings for deck storage compatibility, reinforced landing gear for arrested landings, and modifications consistent with electromagnetic catapult launches.

While earlier prototypes were tested at land-based facilities like Huangdicun Naval Air Base using mock carrier decks with EMALS systems installed since 2021–2022, this marks the first confirmed deployment aboard an actual PLAN vessel at sea.

Key characteristics of the J-35 include:

Stealth shaping optimized for low radar cross-section
Twin WS-13 or WS-19 engines (specs remain uncertain)
Internal weapons bays supporting PL-series AAMs
Advanced AESA radar (possibly KLJ-series)

The integration of a fifth-gen fighter into PLAN’s naval aviation represents not only a qualitative leap in capability but also signals China’s ambition to challenge U.S. naval air dominance in Indo-Pacific waters.

KJ-600 AEW&C Takes Flight from Carrier Deck

Equally significant is confirmation that the KJ-600 fixed-wing AEW&C platform has conducted takeoff from Fujian using EMALS. Often compared to Northrop Grumman’s E-2D Hawkeye due to its high-wing configuration and rotodome radar array atop its fuselage, the KJ-600 provides long-range airborne surveillance and battle management capabilities previously unavailable to PLAN carriers limited by helicopter-based AEW systems like Z-18J.

The KJ-600 is believed to be powered by twin turboprop engines (likely WJ-series), giving it endurance suitable for extended patrols over maritime zones. Its radar system—possibly derived from China’s domestic AESA technologies—is designed to detect low-RCS targets such as stealth fighters or cruise missiles at extended ranges.

The ability to launch such an asset from a carrier deck dramatically improves situational awareness for fleet defense operations—a critical enabler for beyond-line-of-sight targeting in contested environments like Taiwan Strait or South China Sea.

Legacy J-15 Still Plays Key Role

The presence of Shenyang J-15 “Flying Shark” jets on board confirms that legacy fourth-generation platforms will continue operating alongside newer assets during this transition period. Based on Russia’s Su-33 design but heavily modified domestically—including new avionics and indigenous WS-series engines—the J-15 remains China’s primary multirole carrier fighter until full operationalization of the J-35 fleet.

Notably, images suggest that upgraded variants such as the J-15T (catapult-capable) are being used during these trials. These versions feature nosewheel tow bars compatible with EMALS systems and structural reinforcements for repeated catapult launches/arrested recoveries.

Toward Full Operational Capability: What Comes Next?

The integration tests aboard Fujian represent more than hardware validation—they are part of an intensive effort by PLAN Naval Aviation units to develop doctrine and tactics around CATOBAR operations. This includes:

Deck handling procedures under high-tempo sortie generation
Cyclic operations involving mixed-type air wings
C4ISR integration between airborne assets like KJ‑600s and surface combatants
Synthetic training environments incorporating AI-driven simulators

A full operational capability (FOC) declaration is not expected before late 2026 or early 2027 based on current trial pacing—but given accelerated testing patterns observed since early sea trials began in May–June 2024, milestones may arrive sooner than anticipated.

Strategic Implications Across Indo-Pacific Theater

The emergence of a true blue-water Chinese carrier strike group centered around a fifth-gen air wing poses new challenges for regional actors including Japan, India, Australia—and especially Taiwan. With longer-ranged fighters supported by airborne radar coverage via KJ‑600s launched from EMALS-equipped decks, PLA Navy can project power deeper into Pacific maritime zones while maintaining persistent ISR coverage over contested areas like Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands or Bashi Channel chokepoints.

This capability also opens doors for potential joint operations with other branches such as PLA Rocket Force or Strategic Support Force under integrated theater command structures—a key tenet in China’s evolving military doctrine focused on multi-domain warfare dominance by mid-century.

Conclusion: A New Era in Chinese Naval Aviation Begins

The deployment of J‑35 stealth fighters alongside legacy J‑15s and newly developed KJ‑600 AEW&C aircraft marks a transformative moment for Chinese naval power projection capabilities. With its advanced electromagnetic catapults now proven at sea under real-world conditions aboard Type 003 Fujian, China joins an exclusive club capable of launching full-spectrum fixed-wing air operations from carriers—a domain long dominated by U.S., French and Indian navies alone until now.