Following January reports that pointed to the vessel’s keel being laid, new images have captured the latest progress in the construction of the Chinese Navy’s fourth aircraft carrier. The material shows that the builder is using gantry cranes to install new sections. According to the description accompanying the photographs, the Dalian shipyards are already carrying out work involving the bow modules and the lateral hangar sections, underscoring the rapid pace at which the Asian giant is moving forward with the project.
It is worth recalling that this aircraft carrier—known as Type 004—has been shaping up as what could be Beijing’s first nuclear-powered carrier. Although this has not been officially confirmed, analysts and open-source intelligence (OSINT) observers have begun to speculate that some of what has appeared in published imagery to date suggests a structure intended to house the reactor, something also seen in U.S. carrier designs.
If confirmed, this would represent a key technical breakthrough by overcoming the limitations of a diesel-based system, which constrains the operational reach of China’s first three aircraft carriers depending on the availability of replenishment ships or the proximity of ports capable of supporting refueling. Moreover, it would be a major achievement for the country’s naval industry, potentially making China the first non-Western nation to successfully build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. At present, only the United States and France field such capability.
Beyond the technical dimension, the rapid progress also points to the Chinese Navy’s long-term plans, as it seeks to significantly expand the number of aircraft carriers available in order to consolidate its global power-projection capacity. In that regard, the Pentagon itself has noted in its latest report to the U.S. Congress on China’s military developments and trends that Beijing aims to field up to six additional aircraft carriers by 2035—an objective which, added to the current ships, would amount to a fleet of nine carriers.
Finally, in what is an inevitable comparison with the U.S. Navy and its own Ford-class aircraft carrier construction program, it is worth noting that the service recently announced the start of sea trials for the future USS John F. Kennedy, the second ship of the class. This marks an important milestone for a program widely described as delayed, considering the carrier was originally projected to enter service two years ago and is now expected in 2027. Looking ahead, the Navy hopes to reduce these delays by applying lessons learned—particularly regarding the installation of the EMALS electromagnetic catapults, the AAG advanced arresting gear, a redesigned island, and the ship’s electrical architecture.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
You may also like: With the latest deliveries, the Chinese Navy would now have a fleet of 35 Type 052D destroyers in service
