China has reportedly constructed a new, unconventional vessel that has left military analysts surprised, raising questions about its potential capabilities and role in the country's fast-growing naval power.
Smaller Than Existing Carriers
Satellite images from Planet Labs reveal a ship under construction at Guangzhou Shipyard International, located on Longxue Island in Guangdong Province.
The vessel features a flat, open upper deck and a significantly smaller frame than China’s existing aircraft carriers.
Thomas Shugart, a former U.S. Navy submarine commander and current fellow at the Center for a New American Security, notes that the shape and size of the vessel stand out, according to Digi24.
“It’s much smaller than previous Chinese carriers and even smaller than Beijing’s Type 075 amphibious assault ships," he explained.
Shugart speculates that China could be constructing what may be the world’s first “apparently civilian” aircraft carrier, possibly functioning as an oceanographic research ship.
Producing Advanced Warships
The appearance of this vessel comes as China’s navy, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), has made impressive strides in naval capabilities, producing advanced warships at a swift pace.
Earlier this year, China launched sea trials for its largest and most powerful carrier yet, the Fujian.
Weighing 80,000 tons, the Fujian surpasses China’s other active carriers, Shandong and Liaoning, and is on track to join the PLAN fleet by 2026.
This supercarrier positions China closer to the technological standard of U.S. naval carriers, the only fleet that currently operates larger vessels than the Fujian.
China is also advancing the construction of what experts believe to be the world’s largest amphibious assault ship, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
