A week after China commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, newly leaked images, including satellite imagery and other photos, suggest that the fourth might be nuclear powered.
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US military website The War Zone reported on Wednesday that China’s new Type 004 aircraft carrier, which is under construction at the Dalian shipyard in the northeastern province of Liaoning, showed a hull structure apparently similar to that of American nuclear-powered supercarriers.
Citing social media posts with photos and satellite imagery of the Type 004 under construction, it said the hull featured what appeared to be a reactor containment structure, a “key indicator” of the propulsion system.
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China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, enters service
China’s most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, enters service
“Certainly, the structure is broadly similar to that which is found in US nuclear-powered supercarriers, and there is a general consensus that what we can see here is related to the future installation of a nuclear reactor,” the report said.
Although the report did not rule out the possibility that the vessel was a test ship or module, the images are among the first outward signs that China’s next aircraft carrier may be propelled by nuclear energy.
The possibility was also aired last week when state broadcaster CCTV quoted a Chinese expert who said Beijing might build nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in the future.
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Compared to conventional aircraft carriers, which use steam turbines and diesel generators, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers offer virtually unlimited range and sustained high speed because they do not require refuelling.
That endurance allows them to support more extended deployments and greater operational flexibility, making them vital assets for power projection into blue waters.