Most Beautiful Revolutionary Servicemembers of the New Era | Navy Fujian Ship Deputy Commanding Officer Wang Tao: Tempering the Sword in the Open Sky, Contending for Supremacy Across the Ocean

Across the vast ocean, the Fujian carrier battle group cleaves through the waves, as one aircraft after another is catapulted from the deck and takes to the sea and sky on patrol. Zooming in, Deputy Commanding Officer Wang Tao stands before the command console, his gaze sharp as a falcon's, fixed intently on the takeoff and landing of every aircraft. From a proud son of the blue sky to a warship commander, this captain who came up as a pilot has charged into the wind and broken through the waves time and again, using professional skill and courage to build a solid, mobile Great Wall along the nation's maritime frontier.

As an outstanding pilot in the "Sea-Air Eagle Regiment" (海空雄鹰团), Wang Tao has accumulated more than 1,700 hours of safe flight time, has carried out combat-readiness patrol missions year-round, and has honed exceptional psychological fortitude and the ability to handle special situations (特情处置能力).

Just as Wang Tao's flying career was reaching its prime, word came that the Navy was selecting pilots to become ship commanding officers. Without a moment's hesitation, he signed up, choosing a more challenging path of transition.

"Future naval warfare must be won through joint operations; a commanding officer who understands aviation can better command system-of-systems combat (体系作战)." Starting from zero, Wang Tao channeled the same drive he had used to fly aerobatics into mastering naval specialties. In less than two years, he earned full-qualification certification as a ship commanding officer and completed his transformation from pilot to commanding officer of the Xiangtan.

"When adversaries meet on a narrow road, the brave prevail — but even more so, the wise must prevail!" During a combat-readiness patrol that year, a foreign military vessel suddenly closed at high speed on our territorial sea baseline, and the on-scene situation grew abruptly tense.

"Issue warnings and drive it off — step up evidence collection!" Wang Tao issued the order decisively. While directing the warship to rapidly seize a favorable position, he simultaneously assessed the other party's true intentions. Seeing that our side's response was professional and offered no opening to exploit, the foreign vessel ultimately withdrew in frustration.

His background as a pilot gave Wang Tao a unique "dual sea-air perspective." He proactively integrated aviation tactical thinking into shipborne combat training, exploring multiple new tactics and training methods (战法训法) in areas such as ship-aircraft coordinated air defense and the intensive and consolidated training of shipborne helicopters. Under his leadership, the ship's officers and enlisted personnel successfully completed more than 20 major missions, including combat-readiness patrols and exercises and drills.

From piloting a combat aircraft to commanding a warship, from the Xiangtan to the Fujian — his identity has changed, his battle station has changed, but Wang Tao's wholehearted loyalty and devotion to defending the nation's sea and sky have remained constant.

Today, standing on the flight deck of the Fujian, Wang Tao turns his gaze toward a more distant sea and a wider sky. He said: "As revolutionary servicemembers of the new era, we live in the great age of national rejuvenation. As long as we dare to think and dare to act, we will absolutely be able to give full play to our abilities on the stage of building a stronger military and revitalizing the armed forces!"