Powering up China's 'flying shark' J-15 carrier-based fighters

GUANGZHOU -- In a breathtaking debut, two J-15T fighter jets and a J-15D electronic warfare aircraft took to the skies this week at the ongoing Airshow China, dazzling audiences with a stunning formation flight that showcased the combat potential of the carrier-based aircraft series.

Dubbed the "flying shark," the J-15 is China's first fixed-wing carrier-based fighter. The J-15 fighters unveiled at the airshow boast upgraded avionics and weapons systems, and a refined airframe structure, resulting in enhanced combat capabilities, said Cai Yongtao with the equipment department of the Chinese Navy.

The J-15 performed maneuvers including reverse command and buddy refueling at the opening of Airshow China. Officially known as the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, the airshow is scheduled for Nov 12-17 in the southern coastal city of Zhuhai.

Reverse command refers to a specialized maneuver that carrier-based aircraft pilots use during landings, due to the limited size of an aircraft carrier deck, which is just one-tenth the length of a land runway.

The J-15T, which is capable of catapult launches and reverse command, has demonstrated its preliminary readiness for takeoff and landing operations on the Fujian aircraft carrier, said military expert Cao Weidong. "Once commissioned, the Fujian will rapidly attain combat capability through coordinated operations with the J-15T," Cao added.

The Fujian, China's first domestically designed and built catapult-equipped aircraft carrier, features a straight flight deck with electromagnetic catapults and arrestor gear. It completed its first sea trials in May 2024.

Buddy refueling conducted by the J-15 reflects a significant boost to Chinese aircraft carriers' long-range operational capacity, according to military experts.

Involving one aircraft refueling another of the same or similar type, buddy refueling greatly enhances the combat capability and operational radius of carrier-based aircraft.

Since its maiden flight on Aug 31, 2009, the development of the J-15 has clocked up a number of significant milestones and achievements.

On Nov 23, 2012, pilot Dai Mingmeng conducted the first arrested landing and ski-jump takeoff of the J-15 on China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, marking a breakthrough for the Chinese Navy in transitioning from land-based to carrier-based fighter operations.

After completing their foundational training, Chinese Navy carrier-based pilots began flying the J-15 over distant waters. In December 2016, the J-15, part of the Liaoning carrier fleet, engaged in exercises in the western Pacific.

Shortly afterwards, in January 2017, the J-15 conducted its first training in the South China Sea with the Liaoning, following takeoff and landing exercises in the Yellow Sea, the Bohai Sea and the East China Sea.

The formations of aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong carried out a dual-carrier formation exercise for the first time in the South China Sea in October 2024. During the drill, J-15 fighters flew in a wedge formation over the two-carrier groups.

The J-15 series, with its diverse variants and enhanced combat capabilities, has become the core force of the Chinese Navy's carrier groups. It stands as a testament to the Navy's historic transition from nearshore defense to far-sea defense.

In the display area of the airshow, military enthusiast Yang Yang from Chongqing stood in front of the J-15T. "I look forward to hearing about its successful takeoff and landing on China's first domestically-built catapult aircraft carrier, the Fujian," he said.