Beijing: China has officially begun building its fourth aircraft carrier, the Type 004, according to military experts. The vessel will be powered by nuclear reactors and is intended to directly rival the US Navy’s Ford-class carriers. The ship is expected to significantly shift the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region, strengthening China’s naval capabilities.
The Type 004 is designed as a super carrier, weighing between 110,000 and 120,000 tons. Satellite imagery confirms that its hull and catapult launch system are already under construction at the Dalian Shipyard. The carrier is expected to measure 330 to 340 metres in length, slightly longer than its Type 003 Fujian carrier.
One of the carrier’s important innovations is its electromagnetic catapult system, which allows aircraft to take off rapidly and efficiently. The flat deck is designed for Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) operations, enabling a higher number of aircraft to be launched compared with conventional ski-jump systems.
The Type 004 is expected to carry over 90 aircraft, including 24 to 30 J-15T heavy strike fighters, more than 20 J-35 stealth jets, the KJ-600 airborne early warning platform and various drones. By comparison, the US Ford-class can carry around 75 aircraft, including F-35C stealth fighters, E-2D Hawkeye surveillance aircraft and EA-18G Growlers. The increased air power on Type 004 is aimed at generating a high-tempo sortie rate and enhancing strike capabilities.
China’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the Type 004, will use two pressurised water reactors capable of generating 450-500 megawatts. This provides the ship with virtually unlimited range, eliminating the need for frequent refuelling.
The reactors will power the catapult system, radar and potential future high-energy weapons. For comparison, the Ford-class carriers feature two A1B reactors generating over 700 megawatts.
Previous Chinese carriers include the Liaoning (Type 001), a refitted Soviet Kuznetsov with ski-jump launch; the Shandong (Type 002), China’s first domestically built carrier with STOBAR launch; and the Fujian (Type 003), with an electromagnetic catapult but conventional propulsion.
Type 004 represents a significant leap in scale, nuclear power and operational capabilities, aiming to mirror Western super carrier design in deck space, hangars and logistics.
Both Type 004 and Ford-class carriers weigh over 100,000 tons, employ Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) catapults and feature nuclear propulsion. The Ford-class can achieve 160 daily sorties, and Type 004 is expected to target similar operational capabilities.
However, the United States has decades of operational experience in carrier operations, deck handling and fleet logistics.
Strategically, the Type 004 will challenge the longstanding US dominance in aircraft carrier operations. The carrier enhances China’s fleet air defense, sea control and power projection, making it a formidable tool in peer-level naval confrontations.
Analysts suggest the vessel marks China’s transition toward a true blue-water navy and signals a new era of competition in the Indo-Pacific. The ship’s technological advancements are significant, but operational effectiveness will determine its ultimate impact.