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

A carrier-borne J-15 fighter takes part in a performance during Airshow China in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong province, Nov 12, 2024. 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. 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. 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. "I look forward to hearing about its successful takeoff and landing on China's first domestically-built catapult aircraft carrier, the Fujian," he said.