Satellite images of the construction of China’s future Type 004 aircraft carrier by the Dalian shipyards in February 2026 showed two armored reactor compartments and a structure resembling a containment structure inside the ship’s hull, supporting the hypothesis of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
Following on from the Fujian, a Type 003 aircraft carrier equipped with three EMALS electromagnetic catapults, these observations reinforce the hypothesis of a new capability and technological leap underway in this area, for the naval industry but also the Chinese Navy, potentially giving it, if the facts are indeed confirmed, just how quickly the technological and capability gap with the US Navy is narrowing.
The aircraft carrier Fujian validates the CATOBAR transition of China’s naval air arm
The transition from the STOBAR standard (ski jump + arresting wires) to the CATOBAR standard (catapults + arresting wires) with the arrival of the Fujian in the summer of 2025 has enabled the Chinese carrier air group to use heavier platforms and support much more intense activity, marking a clear leap in capability and potentially placing the Chinese Navy at the level of the only two navies still possessing these skills, the US Navy and the French Navy.
The Fujian’s sea trials in spring 2024 validated this ramp-up, with catapult launches and high-rate landings of the three main fixed-wing aircraft of the Chinese Air Force: the J-15T heavy fighter-bomber, the J-35 stealth multirole medium fighter, and the KJ-600 forward air surveillance aircraft. This transition now provides a technical and doctrinal foundation on which the next Chinese aircraft carrier could be designed, in continuity and without doctrinal break.
J-15T landing aboard the Fujian and J-35 in the background.
Le Type 003 Fujian aircraft carrierIt therefore serves as a benchmark for capability in this historic category change, with three electromagnetic catapults, an expanded flight deck, and fully electric propulsion, very close to nuclear propulsion, but with electricity generated by thermal turbines. The ship approaches or exceeds 85,000 tons and carries nearly fifty aircraft, with a flight rate of around 120 to 130 air maneuvers per day, 50% to 65% of that of the two STOBAR aircraft carriers already in service with the Beijing fleet.
The Fujian’s timeline also sheds light on recent industrial developments, with a launch in June 2022 and official commissioning in November 2025. This sequence has allowed for the acquisition of expertise related to electromagnetic catapults and the expanded flight deck. It establishes the CATOBAR as the new standard for the Chinese Navy and prepares for the arrival of a new ship by reusing all the components already mastered, from deck layout to deployment procedures and the logistical flows of sustained air operations.
While the Fujian represents a considerable advance in capability, technology, and doctrine, it suffers from a significant, if not insurmountable, weakness. Indeed, as previously mentioned, the Fujian’s propulsion system is conventional, necessitating very frequent refueling at sea and reducing the internal volume available for storing aviation fuel, munitions, and spare parts. The long-term reliability of the electromagnetic catapults and arresting wires also needs to be confirmed, with the initial availability risk falling short of the theoretical potential. These factors guide the priorities of the future aircraft carrier, starting with range and sustainability.
Observations from the Dalian shipyards reinforce the hypothesis of nuclear propulsion for the Type 004
It is precisely this nuclear propulsion, which could give the future Chinese aircraft carrier increased military capabilities, that is now the focus of intense attention from Western navies and intelligence services. However, images captured on February 17, 2026, by SkyFi show precisely that internal components of the future Type 004They reveal what appear to be two armored reactor compartments and several engine rooms at the heart of the hull under assembly. These physical clues, consistent with naval reactor propulsion, significantly strengthen the likelihood of a nuclear option for the ship.
