China launches third aircraft carrier 'Fujian'
On 17 June, 2022, China launched its third aircraft carrier named 'Fujian' to expand its naval range in the Indo-Pacific region. This aircraft carrier is the most advanced and the first 'completely domestically built' naval aircraft carrier. It was launched in a brief ceremony at Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. It is the first domestically designed and built catapult aircraft carrier.
This aircraft carrier is built by China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited. Fujian has a displacement capacity of over 80,000 tons. It is equipped with arresting devices and electromagnetic catapults. It is named after the Fujian province of China.
Other aircraft carriers of China
Liaoning was China's first aircraft carrier. It was a refit of a Soviet-era ship commissioned in 2012. This launch was followed by the second indigenously built aircraft carrier named 'Shandong', which was launched in 2019. China plans to launch five aircraft carriers. The next aircraft carrier that China plans to build is likely to be nuclear-powered.