Aircraft Carrier
Fujian (Type 003) aircraft carrier
Fujian (hull number 18), also called the Type 003, is China’s third aircraft carrier and the first designed and built entirely in China with a flat deck and catapults. Built by Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, it was commissioned into the PLA Navy on 5 November 2025.
China|Jiangnan ShipyardOverview
Fujian was launched on 17 June 2022 and began sea trials on 1 May 2024. It is the first non-US carrier with electromagnetic catapults, using three launchers that Chinese statements describe as a medium-voltage DC system, unlike the ski-jump ramps on Liaoning and Shandong. Official figures are not published, but common estimates give a length of about 316 m, a deck width of about 76 m and a full-load displacement of 80,000–85,000 t.
Fujian is conventionally powered by steam turbines, not nuclear. Its estimated air wing of more than 50 aircraft includes J-35 stealth fighters, J-15T fighters, J-15DT electronic-warfare jets, KJ-600 early-warning aircraft and Z-20 helicopters, and state media showed catapult launches of the J-35, J-15T and KJ-600 in September 2025. Commissioned at Sanya, it is believed to be based on Hainan, making the PLA Navy the second-largest carrier operator.
Key Specifications
Variants
China’s first domestically built carrier, a ski-jump design derived from Liaoning that entered service in 2019.
The first Chinese flat-deck carrier with three electromagnetic catapults, commissioned in November 2025.
China’s next carrier, under construction at Dalian and widely assessed to be nuclear-powered.
Operators
ChinaFrequently Asked Questions
Is the Fujian aircraft carrier nuclear powered?
No. Fujian is conventionally powered by steam turbines, unlike US Nimitz- and Ford-class carriers. China’s next carrier, the Type 004 under construction at Dalian, is widely assessed to be nuclear-powered.
How big is the Fujian aircraft carrier?
Fujian is estimated to be about 316 m long, with a 76 m wide flight deck and a full-load displacement of 80,000–85,000 tonnes. China has not published official figures, so all dimensions are estimates.
Fujian vs Gerald R. Ford: which is better?
The USS Gerald R. Ford is larger, nuclear-powered and backed by decades of US carrier experience. Fujian matches it in using electromagnetic catapults, but runs on conventional power and its air wing is still building operational experience.
How many aircraft can the Fujian carry?
Fujian is estimated to carry more than 50 aircraft, including J-35 stealth fighters, J-15T fighters, J-15DT electronic-warfare jets, KJ-600 early-warning aircraft and Z-20 helicopters. Official numbers have not been released.
How many aircraft carriers does China have?
China has three aircraft carriers: Liaoning (Type 001), Shandong (Type 002) and Fujian (Type 003). That makes the PLA Navy the second-largest carrier operator after the US Navy, with a fourth carrier under construction at Dalian.
How much did the Fujian aircraft carrier cost?
China has not released an official cost for Fujian. Western estimates vary widely, so any single figure circulating online should be treated with caution rather than as an established fact.