China is building a nuclear-powered supercarrier that may eclipse the world's largest warships

Cultures · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Type 004 is China's ambitious leap into nuclear-powered naval dominance. Expected to displace up to 120,000 tons, this massive supercarrier aims to outsize the American Gerald R. Ford class. With plans for a fleet of six, Beijing is signaling a new era of power projection across the Pacific.

The Type 004 represents a significant technological shift for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). While its predecessor, the Fujian, relies on conventional power, the Type 004 is designed to be China's first nuclear-powered surface warship. Evidence for this transition includes satellite imagery from November 2024, which revealed a land-based prototype reactor under construction near Leshan, Sichuan. By August 2026, satellite photos of the Dalian shipyard showed internal layouts consistent with a twin nuclear reactor configuration, marking a major milestone in China's military-civil fusion strategy.

Beyond its propulsion, the Type 004 is engineered for sheer scale and operational capacity. Analysts estimate a displacement of 110,000 to 120,000 tons, potentially making it 10–20% larger than the USS Gerald R. Ford. The vessel is expected to feature four to five electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) and support a massive air wing of 90 to 100 aircraft. This includes advanced platforms like the J-35 fighter, KJ-600 airborne early warning aircraft, and GJ-21 stealth drones. Notably, the carrier will not host the J-20 stealth fighter, as the aircraft lacks the structural design and folding wings necessary for maritime operations.

The strategic implications of the Type 004 program are substantial. In December 2025, the US Defense Department reported that China had increased its production goals, aiming to field six Type 004 carriers by 2035. If realized, this would bring China's total carrier fleet to nine, potentially outnumbering the six carriers currently deployed by the US Pacific Fleet. This expansion is designed to match the firepower of the US in the Pacific and extend China's reach well beyond the Second Island Chain, fundamentally altering the maritime balance of power.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• China's new supercarrier Fujian signals a shift in maritime power and naval technology
• China's naval ambitions faced a decades-long industrial roadblock before this ship
• China's first amphibious assault ship with an electromagnetic catapult
• How China’s Type 075 transformed amphibious naval warfare
• The carrier that reached operational readiness in just one year
• China's Jin-class submarines represent the nation's first credible sea-based nuclear deterrent capability.
• How a student pressure group pivoted from campus debates to street-level political confrontation
• Why Tyrion Lannister is the most complex antihero in modern fantasy literature
• The cactus that bears a resemblance to an Ottoman fez
• How a single application manages the chaos of British higher education
• How a single alphabet reform slammed the door on a thousand-year history
• The wedge-shaped alphabet that pioneered large-scale administrative writing

More in Languages · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics