Two former U.S. aircraft carrier officers have pointed out fatal flaws in China’s latest aircraft carrier, the “Fujian.” They believe that its aerial combat capability may only reach 60% of a U.S. aircraft carrier that has been in service for fifty years. The “Fujian” is currently docked at Hainan Island and is expected to be officially commissioned in the coming weeks.
Colonel Carl Schuster and Lieutenant Colonel Keith Stewart, both of whom served on U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, reviewed photos of the “Fujian” flight deck and unanimously pointed out that the design of the flight deck limits the speed at which fighter jets can take off and land simultaneously, a limitation that becomes more pronounced when compared to the Nimitz-class carriers.
Schuster assessed, “The combat capability of the ‘Fujian’ is only about 60% of the Nimitz-class.”
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is the oldest carrier currently in service in the United States, entering service in May 1975. The U.S. has a total of 11 active aircraft carriers, with 10 of them being Nimitz-class carriers with a displacement of 97,000 tons.
The Chinese “Fujian” has a displacement of about 80,000 tons, making it the closest in size to the U.S. Nimitz-class carriers in the Chinese fleet, but it has not yet been commissioned. China currently operates the “Liaoning” and “Shandong” aircraft carriers, with displacements ranging from 60,000 to 70,000 tons, all featuring ski-jump take-off designs.
Although China touts the “Fujian” as a significant advancement, claiming that the ship adopts the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS), allowing aircraft to take off without relying on their own power and carry additional weapons and fuel for strikes in distant areas, the two officers point out that starting from scratch in carrier development has led to critical flaws in the final product due to a lack of practical experience with this new technology and design.
Currently, the United States’ most advanced USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier is equipped with electromagnetic catapult operational capabilities.
Schuster expressed that the design of the “Fujian” deck makes the takeoff and landing space more crowded, not only limiting the efficiency of simultaneously operating multiple fighter jets but also diminishing the overall combat capability.
He mentioned, “The angle between the landing area and the centerline of the deck on the ‘Fujian’ is only 6 degrees, the smaller angle bringing the landing runway closer to the catapult position, thereby limiting aircraft efficiency during takeoff and landing. In comparison, the angle on U.S. carriers is 9 degrees.”
Furthermore, the excessive length of the landing area on the “Fujian” causes aircraft to land too close to the bow catapult area, affecting aircraft catapult takeoffs.
Schuster noted, “The longer landing area and narrower deck angle reduce the space for aircraft to reposition after landing.”
Both Schuster and Stewart also highlighted that due to the longer forward catapult on the “Fujian” compared to the Nimitz-class carriers, there is a risk of collision or interference for Chinese fighter jets moving between the deck and elevators, with the only solution for the Chinese military being to “slow down flight deck operations” to avoid accidents.
Stewart pointed out that carrier operations are one of the areas where the Chinese military has the least experience. He believes that China is trying to catch up with the U.S. but will take a long time to do so. Especially with the “Fujian” equipped with an Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, these experiences can only be learned through real-world operational experience in various environments.
“There is an old naval saying, ‘All carrier combat rules are written in blood,’ meaning that in carrier flight operations, people have been seriously injured or killed,” Stewart said. “I have witnessed several people die on the carrier flight deck and know how dangerous this environment can be. Building a brand-new carrier is certainly not easy, but I think China has many unknown areas in carrier operational practices.”
He added, “Taking off and landing from an aircraft carrier during the day in good weather is not difficult; the real challenge comes when taking off and landing in stormy nights, with the deck rising and falling up to 18 feet with fuel running low, filling you with fear. This situation can make pilots so nervous that their faces turn pale.”
(This article is based on a report by CNN.)