Latest news with #electromagneticcatapult
South China Morning Post
03-08-2025
- South China Morning Post
China's Fujian aircraft carrier may have conducted first catapult take-off drill
China's third and most advanced aircraft carrier may have successfully conducted a fighter jet catapult take-off drill, according to the latest footage aired by state broadcaster CCTV. The feat marks a key milestone for the Fujian – China's first aircraft carrier equipped with an electromagnetic catapult – before its expected entry into service this year. The 6½ minute segment showing the apparently successful take-off was aired as part of Forging Ahead, a five-episode series launched on August 1 to mark the 98th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). State media earlier reported that the Fujian could enter active service before the end of this year. The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently the only active carrier equipped with an advanced catapult launch system. The segment featuring the Fujian take-off drills was published on the CCTV website on Sunday. It showed a control room operator announcing: 'Parameters checked, position two cleared for take-off.'
South China Morning Post
17-07-2025
- South China Morning Post
China's new Type 076 Sichuan is a next-level amphibious assault ship
China's latest amphibious warship is designed to take sea-to-land assaults to the next level – a vessel capable of launching fighters and fixed-wing drones like never before. The new-generation Type 076 assault ship will feature an advanced electromagnetic catapult launch system, allowing a wider variety of aircraft to take off more frequently during an amphibious attack. The flat-top vessel will serve as a fleet command centre that will enable drones, helicopters, fighters and landing craft to approach an adversary's coast. China's first Type 076 new-generation amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, was launched in Shanghai in December. Photo: Xinhua Its unprecedented size, launch ability and expected drone transport role will position it as a light, regionally based aircraft carrier that can be deployed to potential flashpoints in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. First for an assault ship The Sichuan, which was first spotted on satellite images in 2023, was officially launched as the first Type 076 ship in December with the hull number 51. The vessel is undergoing equipment tests, mooring and sea trials, and is expected to be commissioned by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) by the end of 2026. The warship is an upgrade over China's first amphibious assault ship – the Type 075 – which was launched in 2019 and went into service 19 months later.
