China’s J-15 ‘Flying Shark’ carrier-capable aircraft is in the news after Japan accused it of conducting a “dangerous interception” of a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) P-3C patrol aircraft.
On June 7, a Chinese J-15 fighter jet from the Shandong aircraft carrier followed a Japanese P-3C patrol plane for 40 minutes, the Japanese Defense Ministry reported. The P-3C aircraft was reportedly conducting reconnaissance operations over the high seas of the Pacific when it was intercepted by the Flying Shark.
During the long period, the jet flew within 45 metres of the patrol plane at the same altitude, the Defense Ministry spokesperson said. The following day, two J-15 jets conducted the same manoeuvre for 80 minutes. The Chinese jets cut across airspace around 900 metres in front of the Japanese patrol plane on June 8.
The incident triggered a war of words, with each side trading barbs on the other.
Japan’s government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters, “Such abnormal approaches can lead to an accidental collision, so we have expressed serious concerns.”
Meanwhile, China condemned what it called “dangerous behaviour” by a Japanese military plane over the Pacific. “The root cause of the risk to maritime and air security was the close reconnaissance of China’s normal military activities by a Japanese warplane,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian. “The Chinese side urges the Japanese side to stop this kind of dangerous behaviour.”
Similar incidents between military aircraft of the two sides were last reported over a decade ago in May and June 2014, when Chinese Su-27 fighter jets flew within 30 metres of Japan’s military planes in the East China Sea.
However, conducting these dangerous interceptions over international airspaces has essentially become routine for Chinese fighter jets.
Chinese combat aircraft, such as the formidable J-16, have been accused of conducting very dangerous interceptions of Australian, US, and Canadian reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea in the past. In one case, a J-11 was accused of an “unsafe intercept” of a US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress bomber over the disputed sea.
Besides flying at a dangerously close distance, Chinese jets sometimes poke the eyes of the adversary pilot by releasing flares. In February 2025, a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) J-16 fighter jet deployed flares against an Australian P-8A reconnaissance aircraft over the disputed South China Sea.
In all such cases, China pinned the blame on the intercepted foreign aircraft for carrying out provocation by flying close to the Chinese area of operations.
First Time?
However, the latest incident is different. This may be the first recorded (and officially accepted) instance of a Chinese carrier-borne aircraft intercepting a foreign Japanese plane in international waters.
Previously, Chinese media had aired footage of a J-15 intercepting an unidentified object, which military experts later identified as a US F/A-18 Super Hornet. The interception was described as “dangerous,” but specific details such as the exact date, location, and outcome were not provided.
The incident came as two Chinese carriers—Liaoning and Shandong—were sailing near Japanese waters. The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) confirmed on June 10 that the service had tasked two aircraft carriers to conduct training in the Western Pacific. This included flying operations undertaken by the carrier-capable J-15.
At the time, Chinese military affairs expert, Wang Yunfei told state-owned Global Times that two aircraft carriers can provide a more comprehensive battle system than one. He emphasised that the Western Pacific is one of the most crucial areas for Chinese maritime defense, and a dual-carrier group may offer substantial defensive assistance there.
At the heart of an aircraft carrier is the carrier-borne aircraft that allows a naval force to conduct operations from anywhere on the sea, increase its combat range, and establish and assert dominance across the world.
The PLAN operates three aircraft carriers: Liaoning (Type 001), Shandong (Type 002), and Fujian (Type 003 and undergoing sea trials). The service is anticipated to induct the J-35 fifth-generation stealth aircraft for carrier operations in the future, but for now, the J-15 series remains the only star of its carrier air wings.
The Flying Shark Can Bite
The J-15, also known as the Flying Shark, is a Chinese all-weather, twin-jet, carrier-based 4th-generation multi-role carrier-borne fighter aircraft. It is used on Liaoning and Shandong, and has now been adapted for catapult launches on the newest carrier, Fujian, which is expected to enter service sometime later this month.
The J-15 was developed from a variant of the Su-33 that was acquired from Ukraine in 2001. According to reports, China reverse-engineered and enhanced the design to create a carrier-capable fighter tailored for its navy. The J-15 made its maiden flight in 2009, with carrier trials beginning in 2012 on the Liaoning.
The aircraft is crucial to China’s blue-water navy ambitions, enabling power projection in regions such as the Western Pacific and beyond. It forms a crucial component of China’s formidable area denial strategies (A2/AD) with its anti-ship missiles, and provides air cover for naval task forces. The aircraft is routinely deployed for military drills near Chinese as well as international waters.
The aircraft comes in different variants. Although the baseline J-15 and the upgraded J-15A have been around for a while, the single-seat J-15B (which has been further upgraded) first broke cover in November 2024.
The J-15B is optimized for both Short Take Off and Arrested Recovery (STOBAR) aboard Liaoning and Shandong, as well as a Catapult-Assisted Takeoff Barrier-Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) variant of the aircraft developed for operations aboard the Fujian, the first Chinese carrier to have Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) catapults.
The J-15B variant is reportedly more capable than the J-15 and J-15A variants, and has 4.5th-generation features, including a modern cockpit and a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
The J-15 also comes in an Electronic Warfare (EW) variant. Known as the J-15D, this aircraft broke cover in dual-aircraft drills in November 2024. This variant features large wingtip electronic warfare pods, and the basic infrared search and track (IRST) sensor and cannon have been removed. This aircraft is frequently projected as an answer to the US EA-18G Growlers.
Another variant—the J-15T—was unveiled by China at the Zhuhai Air Show in November 2024. The J-15T has been designed for launch via a catapult, suggesting its future use aboard the Chinese Navy’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian.
The J-15T distinguishes itself from its predecessors by its reinforced nose landing gear, which features a longer and wider shock-absorbing oleo strut designed to withstand the increased stress of catapult launches. It can be launched without relying on its thrust, thanks to the electromagnetic catapult system. This ability makes the J-15T a more capable and efficient option for the PLAN’s future carriers.
Notably, the J-15 is less advanced in terms of stealth and sensor fusion, but it is cheaper to produce and suits China’s current carrier needs. According to Chinese experts, the J-15B and J-15T, equipped with advanced avionics, narrow the gap with modern US fighters.
However, despite its cutting-edge capabilities, the aircraft has remained mired in controversy for a long time.
Russian military analyst Vasily Kashin was earlier quoted as saying — The Chinese decided to save money and, rather than purchasing several Su-33s from Russia for later license manufacture in China, they opted to buy a Su-33 prototype from Ukraine.
“As a result, the J-15 took a longer time and more money than projected to develop, and the first planes were less reliable,” Kashin noted.
The J-15 is also the heaviest carrier-based fighter in service. The J-15 weighs 38,000 pounds at empty weight, almost 6,000 pounds more than the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and 4,000 pounds more than the F-35C.
A Chinese Navy J-15 fighter jet crashed in March this year during a training exercise, with critics pointing to its obvious weaknesses.
Some analysts called the jet a “White Elephant” for the PLA Navy.
Early J-15 models utilized Russian AL-31F engines, which were plagued by reliability issues. However, the outdated engines have now been replaced by the Chinese WS-10.
China’s troubles are compounded by the fact that it faces a shortage of qualified naval aviators to operate its growing fleet of carrier-based aircraft, particularly the J-15 fighters.
A 2022 report estimated that the PLAN requires at least 200 qualified carrier-based fighter pilots to operate approximately 130 shipborne aircraft across its three carriers. However, it was allegedly struggling to meet this demand.
The service has since launched several measures to reduce the stringent selection process, accelerating recruitment and addressing the pilot shortfall.
As China expands its carrier fleet, the J-15 remains a symbol of its naval ambitions, bridging the gap between its past reliance on foreign designs and its future as a global aerospace innovator. The J-15 series will remain China’s primary carrier fighter through the late 2020s, until the stealthier J-35 gradually supplements it.
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