In the mere flash of an instant, it appears the People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) will soon be a four-aircraft carrier force. This possibility seemed like a distant thought or wish just 10 years ago.
Not only does the PLAN now have three aircraft carriers at sea at one time, but China also appears to be building a massive, first-of-its-kind “supercarrier” capable of projecting more power than the United States Navy’s USS Ford.
Numerous reports, citing commercially available satellite photos, now say China appears to be progressing with a huge Type 004 aircraft carrier, which may be the largest the world has ever seen. Available specs indicate that the USS Ford can travel with up to 90 aircraft, yet China’s 004 is said to be capable of carrying at least 100.
Very little is known about the carrier apart from what experts observed in satellite images detailing the Xianglujiao drydock in Dalian, a major shipbuilding site used to build China’s first two carriers, the Liaoning and Shandong. China’s third carrier, the Fujian, is already conducting sea trials, and the PLAN has, on several occasions, conducted dual-carrier war preparation drills.
There is a lot of public speculation and analysis regarding the look and configuration of the large new carrier. Yet few specifics can be confirmed. There does appear to be a consensus that the ship will be China’s first nuclear-powered carrier and operate with electromagnetic catapults.
Implementing these technologies points to what could be interpreted as the first and most self-evident observation regarding the carrier.
That observation is the simple issue of being a USS Ford copycat. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has a documented history of copying or stealing US technologies.
Therefore, it was unsurprising that China’s third carrier features a large, flat-deck and electromagnetic catapult similar to the USS Ford. The PLAN’s Type 004 seems quite similar in configuration, yet larger.
China’s View on Aircraft Carriers
Another significant element may be that the PLAN does not think big-deck carriers will become obsolete or simply too vulnerable in an age where modern threats, such as long-range anti-ship missiles, can target large platforms thousands of miles offshore.
China’s ambition to become a dominant global power capable of projecting and maintaining influence and military prowess far beyond the Pacific is well known.
However, China’s apparent belief that there is still a significant and highly valued place for carriers in a modern threat environment seems quite substantial. Essentially, the emergence of this Chinese ship appears to offer a window into PRC thinking on the value and continued utility of carriers, which has occupied a central space within Pentagon and Navy debates about the future of maritime warfare.
Chinese Ship Defenses?
Does China plan to operate the carrier in locations where there are few to no threats from long-range, shore-fired precision anti-ship missiles? Perhaps a more likely scenario is that China is advancing with ship-defense technologies similar to the US Navy.
Can China protect carriers with lasers, electronic warfare (EW), or Interceptor missiles from surrounding warships?
Does China have the multi-domain Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) connecting air, surface, land, and space targeting technology together in real-time such that incoming anti-ship missiles can be seen and destroyed early in their trajectory?
It would seem likely that China is also progressing quickly with the development of layered ship defenses, as there appears to be confidence that a ship of that size could provide unique and extremely valuable advantages in war.
This view does seem to parallel the US Navy to some extent because although the US is likely to build more unmanned ships and smaller-faster, less vulnerable aircraft-carrying platforms, there does appear to be an apparent belief among US decision-makers that carriers not only provide unprecedented value in warfare but are also here to stay for decades into the future.
About the Author: Kris Osborn
Kris Osborn is the Military Technology Editor of 19FortyFive and President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University.
