The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has reached a pivotal juncture in its maritime strategy, signaling a transition from a 'green-water' defensive posture to a sophisticated 'blue-water' strike force. Recent testing of the J-35 stealth fighter on the Liaoning—China’s first aircraft carrier—demonstrates that Beijing has successfully integrated fifth-generation aviation across its entire carrier fleet. This development effectively bridges the technological gap between China’s older ski-jump carriers and the cutting-edge catapult systems seen on the newer Fujian.
For decades, naval analysts dismissed ski-jump carriers like the Liaoning and Shandong as compromised platforms, limited by their inability to launch heavily armed or fuel-heavy aircraft without the aid of a catapult. The successful deployment of the J-35, a twin-engine stealth fighter designed for high performance, fundamentally challenges this consensus. By equipping its legacy carriers with fifth-generation capabilities, China has transformed what were once considered 'training platforms' into high-end combat assets capable of contesting air superiority in the West Pacific.
This shift creates a daunting logistical reality for the United States and its regional allies. While the U.S. Navy maintains a global lead in total carrier numbers, its commitments are spread across the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Persian Gulf, often leaving only one or two carrier strike groups in the immediate vicinity of the First Island Chain. In a localized conflict, China can now leverage three combat-ready carriers equipped with stealth technology, potentially achieving a three-to-one numerical advantage in the theater. This regional density allows the PLAN to exert overwhelming pressure during critical flashpoints.
Furthermore, the Chinese model of 'ski-jump plus stealth' offers a pointed critique of the 'Lightning Carrier' concept adopted by Japan and the U.S. Marine Corps. While Japan’s Izumo-class ships are being retrofitted for the F-35B, these vessels lack the angled flight decks and fixed-wing airborne early warning (AEW) support found on China's carriers. Without organic AEW capabilities to provide long-range situational awareness, these 'Lightning Carriers' remain vulnerable in high-intensity naval warfare, leaving China with a distinct advantage in integrated combat systems.
Ultimately, Beijing’s breakthrough suggests a new global standard for naval aviation that bypasses the prohibitive costs and technical hurdles of electromagnetic catapults. By proving that stealth fighters can operate effectively from simpler ski-jump decks, China has created a viable blueprint for other mid-tier naval powers such as Russia or India. This strategic pivot not only challenges the American monopoly on stealth naval power but also threatens to reshape the international arms market for carrier-based aviation.