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China gives first official look at Fujian aircraft carrier’s advanced catapult launch system
- Vessel appears in state news item on military’s response to president’s New Year national rejuvenation call
- The Fujian, the country’s first carrier with electromagnetic plane launch technology, last featured in state media in April
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China has offered its first official look at the advanced plane catapults on its latest aircraft carrier, featuring the vessel in the state broadcaster’s flagship nightly news programme on Tuesday.
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The CCTV evening newscast showed the Fujian, China’s first carrier to be fitted with electromagnetic catapults, pulled by three tugboats and with what appeared to be a J-15 fighter jet on its flight deck.
It is the first time the Fujian has been shown in state media news since April, and was part of a segment on the military’s response to President Xi Jinping’s New Year’s call for “national rejuvenation” – a term that includes unifying mainland China and Taiwan.
Featuring the aircraft carrier in such a high-profile programme could signal the state’s confidence in the vessel’s development.
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China launches the Fujian, the PLA Navy’s 3rd aircraft carrier
China launches the Fujian, the PLA Navy’s 3rd aircraft carrier
The Liaoning and the Shandong, China’s first two aircraft carriers, launch planes using ski-jump take-off ramps. The Fujian’s catapults are powered by electromagnets that will allow planes to be launched more frequently and with more fuel and munitions.
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