Chinese Aircraft Carrier Fujian Prepares For First Sea Trial (Updated)First sea trial for Chinese supercarrier comes after over six years of construction and fitting out work in Jiangnan. Fujian may enter service with the Chinese Navy by 2026.Alex Luck 29 Apr 2024Update: Against initial reporting in this article Fujian currently remains stationary in the Yangtze River Delta off her original berth. The rationale for this remains speculative and the beginning of a proper trial therefore is to be confirmed. This article will be updated with further information as it becomes available.Fujian today, April 29, vacated her moorings at Jiangnan on Changxing Island in the Yangtze River Delta under her own power, as evidenced from social media imagery. The anticipated first sea trial represents a significant milestone on getting China’s first supercarrier equipped with electromagnetic catapults ready for service. The carrier moved out of berth assisted by several tugboats as covered in moving footage circulated on Chinese social media and on “X”, formerly Twitter.
Imagery of Fujian previously showed the carrier testing her engines around April 21. The observation created some anticipation that the ship would sail out on the occasion of the anniversary for the Chinese Navy on April 23. That day historically marks the inception of the East China Military Region Navy, typically shortened to “East China Navy”, as announced by Zhang Aiping in April 1949 during the Chinese Civil War. The Central Military Commission in 1989 officially designated the date and event to mark the founding of PLAN. That date however went by with Fujian remaining at berth, perhaps illustrating that PLAN is more concerned with sticking to technical schedules over symbolic gestures.
Fujian at her launch on June 17, 2022. The three construction shelters onboard cover the electromagnetic catapults. Image Chinese state media.<..snip..>
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/04/chinese-aircraft-carrier-fujian-starts-first-sea-trial/
