Through the publication of new images on social media, analysts from open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources have noted that China has reportedly managed to advance in the construction of the future Type 004 aircraft carrier intended to equip its Navy, something that would now be particularly noticeable with the installation of its turbines. Although this has not been confirmed by official sources, local observers have pointed out that such work has been a frequent topic of conversation around the Dalian shipyards, while the photographs reinforce the hypothesis given the presence of large gantry cranes over the construction site in recent dates.
It is also worth recalling at this point that this new aircraft carrier produced for the Chinese Navy could potentially be the first to feature a nuclear propulsion system, therefore the installation of these turbines raises questions regarding its capacity and purpose looking toward the future. If so, it would represent quite a milestone for the country’s local naval industry, as being able to produce an aircraft carrier of this type would turn the Asian Giant into one of the few countries in the world with the capability to do so; only behind the United States and France.
Following that line, it should be mentioned that previous reports from February indicated that the manufacturing of new sections of the vessel was already underway, particularly with the bow modules and those that will contain the lateral hangars. Moreover, OSINT sources specialized in the subject have already pointed out that the future Type 004 would also have shown signs of beginning to feature a structure specifically intended to house a nuclear reactor, in a similar way to what was observed during the construction of U.S. aircraft carriers.
On the other hand, it is also useful to recall that if these speculations take shape and effectively translate into China’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the country’s Navy will finally be able to overcome one of the main limitations for the deployment of its carrier strike groups. In detail, we refer to the need to rely on replenishment ships that accompany these flagship vessels, as well as nearby ports suitable for aircraft carriers in case that is not possible.
If we broaden the lens to other significant advances made by the Chinese naval industry, while it seeks to build this new aircraft carrier, it is notable the formation of a new fleet of at least 35 Type 052D destroyers that has already entered service with the Navy since the beginning of the year. This constitutes today the backbone of the force’s escort and air defense capabilities, being equipped with vertical launch systems (VLS), which allow them to use various types of anti-air, anti-ship, and land-attack missiles. In addition, as one of the novelties present in the latest units of the variant, a new radar based on rotating dual-faced antennas has been integrated, providing greater detection range and reducing blind spots.
Finally, it should also be considered that the Asian Giant is also making firm steps toward the formation of a significant fleet of nuclear submarines, of which today it possesses around 14 units out of the 60 that make up its submarine fleet. According to a recent report by the Pentagon, it is expected that the Chinese Navy could achieve that half of its platforms of this type be nuclear-powered by 2035, especially through the development of a new variant known as Type 041 or Zhou-class, of a size similar to that of a conventional model but with greater autonomy.
*Images used for illustrative purposes.
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