Chinese Aircraft Carrier Fujian

China’s first #supercarrier, the Fujian (#福建舰 - named after China’s Fujian province) weighing 80,000 tons, has returned to port after completing its sea trials, showcasing a remarkable milestone in China’s naval capabilities. 🇨🇳 The Fujian, also known as the Type 003 class carrier, is China’s first indigenously designed supercarrier and boasts an integrated propulsion system and electromagnetic catapults, a technology that improves aircraft launch accuracy and reliability. The Fujian Type 003 is the largest and most #advanced aircraft carrier ever built outside the United States. China’s Fujian is also the third largest aircraft carrier class in service around the world, only behind the 100,000 tonnage of the US Navy’s Nimitz and Ford-class flattops, and ahead of the next largest, the UK’s Queen Elizabeth class, which displace around 70,000 tonnes. China’s Fujian Type 003’s island also contains its radars and other main sensors, which have been integrated into the structure, leaving a smooth finish that reduces radar cross section, as much as is possible for an 80,000-tonne warship. The island houses panels that will be the ship’s AESA radar, as well as other sensors. In terms of expected air wing, it is thought that the Fujian/Type 003 will be able to carry around 50-60 aircraft, depending on the source, including J-15 fighters and KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft. The balance of power is shifting from the American-led Western #hegemony. Welcome to the new #multipolar world. 🌏