Satellite images and documents indicate China working on nuclear propulsion for new aircraft carrier https://t.co/HZvq2EWGn3 pic.twitter.com/9J2c99Pvsm
— New York Post (@nypost) November 11, 2024
- Announcement: Chinese media reports indicate that China plans to construct a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
- Source: The China Shipbuilding Industry Corp. (CSIC) issued a statement about the project.
- Media Coverage: The Communist Party newspaper Global Times and Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reported on CSIC’s announcement.
- Statement Details: CSIC mentioned the need to “accelerate the realization of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers” and other advanced naval technologies.
- Strategic Goal: The initiative aims to support the navy’s transition to a “deep blue high seas force” by 2025.
- Website Update: The original statement was later removed from CSIC’s website.
- Company’s Role: CSIC was responsible for refurbishing China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.
- Liaoning’s Origin: The Liaoning was purchased from Ukraine and extensively refurbished before its commissioning in 2012.
- Second Carrier: CSIC also built China’s first domestically produced carrier, expected to enter service later in 2018.
- Current Carriers: Both existing carriers are conventionally fueled and require regular refueling.
- Nuclear Advantage: Nuclear-powered carriers can operate for extended periods without refueling, enhancing operational range.
- Global Context: The U.S. Navy’s Nimitz-class carriers are nuclear-powered, capable of operating for 20 years without refueling.
- Naval Expansion: China has the world’s largest navy by number of ships but lags behind the U.S. in technology and combat capabilities.
- Strategic Implications: Developing a nuclear-powered carrier would significantly enhance China’s naval capabilities and global reach.
- Regional Impact: This development could shift the balance of naval power in the Asia-Pacific region, affecting geopolitical dynamics.
- China has reportedly developed a prototype nuclear reactor to power a future aircraft carrier, signaling progress in nuclear propulsion technology for large warships. Analysis by the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, supported by satellite imagery and government documents, identified the reactor at Sichuan’s Base 909, overseen by the Nuclear Power Institute of China. Nuclear-powered carriers would enhance China’s Navy—the world’s largest—by extending operational range and on-board space for fuel and weaponry, a capability currently held only by the U.S. and France. – Clash Report
An aerial view of #China‘s latest aircraft carrier, the Type 003 Fujisan, showcasing its various components. The 80,000-tonne Fujisan recently completed its 8-day maiden sea trials. Btw, did you notice the three electromagnetic catapults?
An aerial view of #China‘s latest aircraft carrier, the Type 003 Fujisan, showcasing its various components. The 80,000-tonne Fujisan recently completed its 8-day maiden sea trials. Btw, did you notice the three electromagnetic catapults? #avgeeks #aviation #aviationdaily pic.twitter.com/zZWwCnUo35
— Air Power (@RealAirPower1) May 13, 2024
- CHINA’S NAVY GOES NUCLEAR China has built a land-based prototype nuclear reactor for a large surface warship, in the clearest sign yet that Beijing is advancing toward producing its first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Globe Spectator
China‘s new aircraft carrier: a nuclear powered aircraft carrier powered entirely by electric propulsion
中国的新航母：全电推动的核动力航母
China’s new aircraft carrier: a nuclear powered aircraft carrier powered entirely by electric propulsion pic.twitter.com/Z9Um9ibA0u— Little Soldiers (@guoyu2185) July 18, 2024
- China has built a land-based prototype nuclear reactor, apparently intended for a large Navy ship, – AP News “Unless China is developing nuclear cruisers, which the US and Soviet Union sought to obtain during the Cold War, the nuclear energy project is most likely related to the creation of a nuclear aircraft carrier,” the report says.
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