The China Academy: China’s J-35 Electromagnetic Launch, Not a Catch-up...an Overtake

On September 22nd, China’s Fujian aircraft carrier achieved a decisive breakthrough: the successful electromagnetic catapult launch and recovery of the J-35 stealth fighter. This isn’t merely a first for China; it marks the world’s first operational integration of a fifth-generation fighter with an electromagnetic catapult system.

While the U.S. F-35C operates from legacy steam catapults aboard Nimitz-class carriers, the newer Ford-class carriers have faced documented challenges in achieving full operational capability with their Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). The USS Gerald R. Ford has conducted recovery operations but has yet to demonstrate sustained, reliable F-35C catapult operations. China’s success with the J-35 on the Fujian therefore represents a significant milestone, challenging the U.S. Navy’s technological lead in a core aspect of carrier aviation.

The shift from steam to electromagnetic catapult technology is not a minor upgrade but a generational leap that fundamentally enhances combat efficiency. The advantages can be understood by examining three critical areas:

1. Sortie Generation: The Critical Factor of Time

In modern carrier operations, the ability to generate sorties rapidly is a primary determinant of effectiveness. Unlike land-based air forces that can launch entire squadrons from long runways, a carrier must launch its aircraft one by one. The first fighter launched becomes a lonely sentinel, forced to circle and burn precious fuel, like running on a treadmill, waiting for the rest of the strike package to join it. The combat radius of the entire mission is dictated by the aircraft with the least fuel remaining. Here, electromagnetic catapults provide a decisive advantage.

On the one hand, steam catapults require 30 to 60 minutes to build up sufficient steam pressure—a potentially fatal delay during an emergency scramble. In contrast, China’s electromagnetic system can be ready in as little as 15 minutes, slashing response time by up to 75%.
On the other hand, a steam catapult needs 30-60 seconds to recharge between launches. To launch a 12-plane strike package, the first aircraft could burn 6-12 minutes of fuel before the last one even gets airborne. Furthermore, after 8-10 consecutive launches, steam pressure plummets, requiring a 30-minute or longer pause to “re-boil the water,” a cycle that also saps the ship’s speed.

Electromagnetic catapults, powered by efficient capacitor banks, maintain a steady 45-second interval unaffected by consecutive launches, ensuring a rapid and predictable launch rhythm. This difference translates directly into operational capacity.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) FY 2012 report, a Nimitz-class carrier averages about 10 sorties per hour, while CCTV’s report indicate the Fujian has demonstrated a rate of 12.5 sorties per hour. This means the Fujian can launch a full 12-aircraft wave within a single hour, with all aircraft forming up efficiently. A Nimitz-class carrier would struggle to do the same without critically compromising the fuel reserves of its first-launched aircraft.

For modern carrier battle, a 12-aircraft strike package is the minimum necessary. For example, a standard “door-kicking” mission, typically comprising 4-6 strike fighters, 4-6 escorts, and supporting electronic attack and early warning aircraft. In a potential engagement, this sortie rate advantage could allow a Chinese carrier battle group to establish aerial dominance before the fight even begins.

2. Systems integration: Completing the Kill Chain

The electromagnetic catapult’s power isn’t just about launching J35 fighters; it’s about launching a fully integrated combat system. The most critical piece of this system is the KJ-600 fixed-wing airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, which at the same day completed catapult trials on the Fujian.

Previously, the Chinese navy relied on helicopter-based AEW, such as Ka-31, which suffered air-to-air detection range up to 200km. While China developed advanced long-range air-to-air missiles, its carriers lacked the “eyes” to see far enough to use them effectively. The ski-jump decks of the Liaoning and Shandong carriers were incapable of launching a heavy plane like the KJ-600. This created a critical vulnerability.

The Fujian’s electromagnetic catapult resolves this limitation. As noted by Chinese military analyst Wang Qiang, the integration of the KJ-600 creates a synergistic combat system. The J-35 provides stealth and penetration, the J-15T offers heavy payload capacity, and the KJ-600 serves as the central information node, extending the fleet’s detection range and enabling coordinated, long-range engagements. This transforms the carrier group from a primarily defensive asset into a platform capable of controlling vast ocean areas.

3. The Future is Unmanned: Launch for Next-Generation Platforms

Looking forward, electromagnetic catapults offer superior compatibility with next-generation unmanned systems. Steam catapults operate like a sledgehammer, delivering a jarring, high-G initial shock that is potentially damaging to the delicate airframes of unmanned systems. Their adjustable range is also crude, roughly between 70% and 100% of maximum power, leaving a “gap” that is unsuitable for many modern drones.

Electromagnetic systems, however, offer fine-tuned control from 0% to 100%, like a precision dial. This is the key to seamlessly integrating a future family of carrier-based unmanned “loyal wingmen” and specialized mission aircraft—an area where China’s advanced drone industry holds great potential.

While the U.S. Ford-class also employs EMALS, its reliability has been a persistent concern. with failure rates in testing reportedly far exceeding design goals. Chinese military analyst Wang Qiang points out that Fujian’s medium-voltage direct-current power system as a more robust and stable architecture, claiming a failure rate 80 times lower than the American system. This reliability will be paramount for the complex, unmanned-centric warfare of the future.

Conclusion

The successful integration of the J-35, KJ-600, and J-15T on the Fujian represents a “holy trinity” of China’s modern naval air power: stealthy penetration, missile truck, and unparalleled situational awareness. Furthermore, with three carriers, the PLAN can now implement a sustainable deployment cycle: one carrier on forward deployment, one in training, and one in maintenance. This ensures a continuous presence in key strategic waterways.

The Fujian’s electromagnetic catapult success is more than a technical milestone; it is the catalyst that has transformed China’s carrier fleet from a coastal defense force into a potent, globally significant blue-water navy. For the first time, it enables China to project integrated, system-level combat power far into the Pacific, marking a definitive end to the era of Western monopoly on advanced carrier aviation. This translates to a continuous, 365-day-a-year, around-the-clock strategic watch by Chinese carrier battle groups in crucial waters. The integration of the Fujian is not merely about adding numbers or achieving technical superiority; it marks a strategic rebalancing of the entire Western Pacific. The sheer weight of this persistent presence—both as a deterrent and a warfighting capability—is immense. More foreseeable, it serves as a powerful check against hegemonic and unilateralist agendas, contributing predictably to a more stable, multipolar world order.