七菲3

On June 30, the official account of the People's Navy posted on social media, announcing that the Chinese Navy’s aircraft carrier groups, led by the Liaoning and Shandong carriers, had successfully completed their distant sea combat training and safely returned to their home ports. At the same time, more details about the exercise were revealed, highlighting several key points. First, the scale of the exercise was remarkable. Both the Liaoning and Shandong carriers participated, marking the first time these two aircraft carrier battle groups have conducted distant sea joint training operations since their commissioning. In addition, a large number of advanced vessels were mobilized, including the 10,000-ton Type 055 destroyers, Type 052D destroyers, Type 054A frigates, and Type 901 comprehensive supply ships, all coordinating together in this operation.

Second, this marked the first time these two carrier battle groups have conducted drills together in the Western Pacific, signaling China’s carriers crossing the Second Island Chain for the first time. This movement significantly bolstered China’s ability to conduct open-sea operations and enhanced its A2/AD (Anti-Access/Area Denial) capabilities.

Third, the duration of the exercise was the longest to date. According to the maritime track data released by Japan's Ministry of Defense, the Liaoning carrier group departed from a military port in the northern theater on May 25. It sailed through the East China Sea, passed through the Miyako Strait and the Bashi Channel, entered the Philippine Sea, then continued eastward. The group also passed through the waters near Guam, where it conducted realistic combat training near the waters of the Okinotorishima and the Chukuni Islands. After completing the drills, the group circled back and returned on June 19, having been out for nearly a month. Meanwhile, the Shandong carrier group departed from the southern theater's port, traveled through the South China Sea, passed the Bashi Channel into the Philippine Sea, and conducted carrier-based aircraft takeoff and landing drills near Okinotorishima before returning on June 23. The two carrier groups were seen simultaneously conducting exercises in both the First and Second Island Chains, positioned far apart but coordinated in their operations.

Fourth, Chinese fighter jets, for the first time, reached the outer perimeter of Guam. Guam is approximately 2,800 kilometers from China’s coastline, making it well beyond the reach of China’s air force. However, the Liaoning carrier passing near Guam marked a significant strategic development, as it placed the island within the operational range of the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) aviation forces. The U.S. military has long considered the Guam base a key strategic outpost for its presence in the Asia-Pacific, but the fact that China’s aircraft carrier group has now encircled this base means the deterrent effect of the U.S. military's presence there has been diminished.

Fifth, the carrier groups of Liaoning and Shandong saw an upgrade in their aircraft complement. For the first time, a mixed combination of J-15, J-15T, and J-15D aircraft was deployed, with the numbers of J-15T and J-15D models accounting for more than half of the total aircraft onboard. The Chinese Navy officially released footage showing the J-15T taking off from the carrier, marking the first time the J-15T has been publicly shown operating from an aircraft carrier. This marks the J-15T and J-15D’s full combat readiness, with the early J-15 models gradually being replaced. The J-15T is an upgraded version of the J-15, featuring strengthened landing gear to meet the launch conditions of future carriers like the Fujian, alongside improvements to radar systems and avionics, significantly enhancing its overall combat capabilities. The J-15D, on the other hand, is the first Chinese naval electronic warfare aircraft, similar to the U.S. Navy's E/A-18G Growler, and is designed for electronic suppression, reconnaissance, signal interception, and airborne command tasks. The deployment of the J-15D places China as the second country in the world, after the United States, to operate a carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, improving the soft-kill capabilities of the Chinese Navy.

Why, then, was the J-15T chosen to be deployed on the Shandong and Liaoning carriers first? One reason is to prepare for future training with the Fujian aircraft carrier. With the J-15T and J-15D already onboard these two carriers, when the Fujian is commissioned, it will be able to quickly deploy these aircraft, speeding up the aircraft carrier’s combat readiness. If the J-15T and J-15D were only introduced after the Fujian’s commissioning, the carrier’s operational capability would be delayed by at least a year. Another reason is to standardize the use of carrier-based aircraft across the fleet. The J-15T and J-15D were designed not only for the Fujian but also to serve on the Shandong and Liaoning, which require aircraft that can both launch via ski-jump and be launched using electromagnetic catapults.

Looking ahead, the J-15 will gradually be phased out from the Shandong and Liaoning carriers' flight decks and replaced entirely by the J-15T, ensuring the standardization of carrier-based aircraft across the fleet. During future operations, such as those involving the Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian carriers working together, aircraft from each carrier can conduct takeoffs and landings from each other, just as the Liaoning and Shandong did in their recent coordinated distant sea training. One would operate within the First Island Chain, while the other would operate within the Second Island Chain, ensuring seamless coordination and enhancing operational reach and coverage.

At the same time, China’s Navy has been working on supporting the Fujian carrier with the KJ-600 early warning aircraft and the J-35 fifth-generation stealth fighters, which have already entered service and are undergoing training. The Fujian aircraft carrier is close to being ready for operational deployment, with it completing its eighth round of sea trials and returning to port on May 27, 2025. It has been over a month since the return, and it is speculated that the Fujian is now conducting electromagnetic catapult tests or other final preparations. The carrier is likely to be either commissioned directly or undergo additional sea trials before officially entering service. Regardless, the Fujian’s entry into service is imminent.

Once the Fujian enters service, it will be a landmark event for the Chinese Navy. With a full-load displacement of over 80,000 tons, the Fujian will feature a straight flight deck with three electromagnetic catapults. The Navy has already equipped the Fujian with J-15T, J-15D, KJ-600, and J-35 aircraft, marking a major leap forward compared to the Liaoning and Shandong carriers and closing the gap with the United States. We eagerly await the moment the Fujian officially joins the fleet.

(Article by Qianwangzhe, July 1, 2025, Do not reprint without permission, plagiarism will be prosecuted!)