China progresses flight deck operations on third aircraft carrier

Satellite imagery showing CV 18 Fujian at Jiangnan Changxingdao Shipyard in Shanghai. Markings on the deck are indicative of fixed-wing aircraft activity during sea trials. (Map data: Google, © 2025 CNES/Airbus/© 2025 Janes)

China has begun flight deck operations on its third aircraft carrier Fujian ahead of the vessel's expected commissioning.

Satellite images taken between April and May 2025 indicate the presence of skid marks in the recovery area of the carrier's angled flight deck.

These skid marks are especially apparent in the segment where the carrier's cross-deck pendants will be deployed during recovery operations for fixed-wing aircraft.

This suggests that the People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force (PLANAF) began carrying out carrier qualifications from Fujian during sea trials that were conducted between April and May 2025.

The qualifications are likely undertaken with variants of the SAC J-15 multirole fighter aircraft, which are in service on China's two other aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong .

In addition to the skid marks, satellite images also indicate the presence of scorch marks on the jet blast deflector for catapult 2.

These scorch marks suggest that China has begun utilising at least one of Fujian 's electromagnetic catapults to launch its fixed-wing aircraft.

However, this scorch mark is not visible on the other two jet blast deflectors, and this suggests that the PLANAF's aircraft launch operations are currently limited to catapult 2.

Also seen on the flight deck are mock-ups for various aircraft types and positional markings, which suggest that the PLA Navy (PLAN) continues to refine deck handling procedures ahead of Fujian 's induction into service.

Fujian