China hints its fourth aircraft carrier may be nuclear-powered via navy video and imagery

Analysts say China may build additional aircraft carriers to operate along global maritime routes, potentially extending deployments to areas such as the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, with bases referenced in Djibouti, Gwadar, and Hambantota.

The Indian Navy operates two aircraft carriers, INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya, and is described as pursuing fleet expansion to maintain its regional presence.

The United States Navy is stated to operate 11 aircraft carriers, all described as nuclear powered.

The article notes that China’s navy now has the world’s largest operating fleet with about 234 warships, compared to the US Navy’s 219.

Satellite images taken over the past couple of years indicate a large vessel under construction at a shipyard in Dalian. The ship appears similar in size to the US Ford-class carriers, with additional imagery suggesting structures that could be nuclear reactor containment vessels.

A video titled 'Into The Deep' released by the Chinese navy to mark the PLA Navy's 77th anniversary showcases the navy's blue-water ambitions, deep-sea drills in the western Pacific, and advanced equipment. The video features a compass handed down through generations named after the three active carriers Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian, and includes a fourth name, He Jian, which some interpret as a hint that the next carrier could be nuclear-powered.

Pictures taken in February show structures that look like nuclear reactor containment vessels on what is described as a large vessel under construction at a shipyard, fueling speculation about propulsion method.

China commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, which is described as the most modern warship equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system. Carrier-based aircraft J-15T, J-35, and KongJing-600 reportedly completed catapult-assisted take-off and arrested landing training on its deck before commissioning.