Beijing has officially started construction on the Type 004, its first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and fourth flattop overall, Chinese analysts confirmed on September 29, 2025. Designed with electromagnetic catapults, a full-length CATOBAR deck, and a carrier air wing exceeding 90 aircraft, the ship represents China’s most ambitious step yet toward matching the U.S. Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class supercarriers.
Satellite imagery and industry leaks show modular hull sections taking shape at the Dalian Shipyard, along with catapult launch structures under assembly. The Type 004 is expected to displace between 110,000 and 120,000 tons and use two pressurized water reactors, providing near-unlimited range. Its future air wing will likely include 24–30 J-15T catapult-launched strike fighters, over 20 J-35 stealth aircraft, KJ-600 AEW planes, and next-generation unmanned platforms — giving the PLAN a true blue-water power projection tool.
While the vessel mirrors Ford-class features like nuclear propulsion and EM catapults, its real test will be the PLAN’s ability to conduct high-tempo flight operations, sustain deployments far from Chinese shores, and integrate carrier strike groups into joint force operations — areas where the U.S. Navy maintains decades of hard-earned experience.
Compared to Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian, the Type 004 marks a quantum leap: moving from ski-jump carriers and conventional propulsion to a nuclear CATOBAR supercarrier capable of global reach. Its entry into service could alter the Indo-Pacific balance of power, signaling that China is preparing to compete head-to-head with the United States for maritime dominance.
