After weeks of speculation regarding its operational status, new satellite images have confirmed that the aircraft carrier Shandong (CV-17) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has entered dry dock at the Yulin Naval Base on Hainan Island, dispelling doubts that had emerged following successive deployments in the Pacific and in areas of interest to Beijing.
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) material shows the vessel—the PLAN’s second carrier and the first built entirely in China—positioned inside one of the facility’s large dry docks. Specialized observers describe the move as part of a comprehensive maintenance process, likely including hull cleaning, system inspections, and flight deck refurbishment, including resurfacing work.
Major maintenance
As noted, the aircraft carrier is currently at the Yulin naval complex—also known as Sanya—one of the main bases of the Chinese Navy’s Southern Theater Command. The facility features a large dry dock (approximately 375 meters long and 78 meters wide), built between 2017 and 2022, capable of accommodating vessels such as aircraft carriers and destroyers.
Beyond this, the Shandong’s entry into dry dock is particularly significant because it marks one of the first confirmed instances of a Chinese aircraft carrier using this new facility, expanding the PLAN’s logistical maintenance capacity beyond the traditional Dalian shipyards, historically linked to the sustainment of its carriers. This also reflects how, over the past decade, the Navy’s maintenance infrastructure—and consequently the scale of its fleet—has expanded significantly.
The operational record of the aircraft carrier Shandong
Commissioned in December 2019, CV-17 was the first aircraft carrier built entirely in China. It is based on the design of the Liaoning (CV-16), but incorporates structural improvements and new technologies, surpassing the original Soviet-origin Admiral Kuznetsov-class design.
In 2023, it carried out its first major deployment in the Western Pacific, operating beyond the so-called First Island Chain. In 2025, it participated in multiple exercises in the South China Sea, which featured intensive air operations with its embarked air wing, spearheaded by Shenyang J-15 carrier-based fighters.
What does its maintenance imply?
Beyond routine maintenance, the fact that the Shandong is using the Yulin dry dock reflects a broader trend: the consolidation of Hainan as a key logistical and operational hub for Chinese naval operations in the South China Sea and for access to the Pacific.
At the same time, the PLAN continues advancing with the initial deployments of the Fujian (CV-18), China’s third aircraft carrier, commissioned in November 2025. The Fujian is equipped with electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) and a more diverse air wing that includes the J-15, J-35, and KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft. This addition has enabled the Navy to maintain a constant and uninterrupted presence in the region, ensuring that at least one aircraft carrier remains operational while others undergo maintenance.
Finally, China continues to move forward with the development and construction of its fourth aircraft carrier, which analysts suggest could be the country’s first nuclear-powered carrier—similar to classes currently operated only by the United States and France. According to the latest satellite images published in open sources, the shipbuilder is using gantry cranes to install new sections. This suggests that the Dalian shipyards are already carrying out work involving bow modules and lateral hangar sections, underscoring the rapid pace at which Beijing is advancing with the project.
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