JINAN, November 8, 2026: China’s first group of female shipborne aircraft pilots have completed their training and passed graduation assessments, paving the way for their deployment to frontline naval aviation units, the Naval Aviation University (NAU) announced on Saturday.
The development marks a milestone in China’s naval aviation programme, as the newly qualified pilots prepare to undertake missions aboard aircraft carriers and other large and medium-sized naval vessels.
According to the university, the trainees were recruited in 2023 as part of the Chinese Navy’s first intake of female pilot candidates.
All were born in the 2000s and held bachelor’s degrees from civilian or military universities before entering the naval aviation training programme.
Following multiple rounds of selection and systematic flight instruction, the trainees successfully completed all exercises required under the training syllabus and passed their final evaluations.
Female naval pilots qualify for advanced flight operations
The university said the graduates had completed more than 100 vessel-based takeoff and landing exercises during their training.
They are now qualified to conduct a range of naval aviation operations, including daytime and nighttime landings aboard vessels, takeoffs and landings in restricted areas, and search-and-rescue missions.
After joining operational units, the pilots will be assigned to naval aviation formations supporting aircraft carriers and other surface vessels.
Their graduation reflects changes in China’s naval aviation training system as the country’s Navy expands its vessel-based aviation capabilities.
In recent years, the Naval Aviation University has introduced advanced flight exercises into its academic training programmes that were previously conducted only after pilots joined operational units.
According to the university, the revised approach is intended to shorten training periods and prepare pilots more efficiently for frontline assignments.
China’s expanding aircraft carrier fleet
The development comes as China continues to expand its aircraft carrier capabilities.
The Chinese Navy operates three aircraft carriers: Liaoning, Shandong and Fujian.
Liaoning, a refurbished Soviet-era carrier, entered service in 2012, while Shandong, China’s first domestically built aircraft carrier, was commissioned in 2019.
Fujian, equipped with electromagnetic aircraft launch technology, was commissioned in November 2025.
China has gradually expanded opportunities for women in military aviation over several decades.
The Chinese Air Force began recruiting female pilots in 1951, while the country’s first group of female fighter pilots graduated in 2009.
The latest graduation represents another step in the integration of women into specialised naval aviation roles, particularly aircraft operations conducted from ships.