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2h ago

New Images Suggest China’s Type 004 Carrier Could Be Nuclear-Powered

Analysts say recent photos and satellite views show a hull feature consistent with reactor containment, hinting at nuclear propulsion pending confirmation.

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a commissioning and flag-presenting ceremony of the Fujian, China's third aircraft carrier and the first that it has both designed and built itself equipped with electromagnetic catapults, seen on right at a naval port in Sanya city in southern China's Hainan Province, on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025.
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Overview

  • The War Zone reported that imagery of the Type 004 under construction at Dalian shows a structure resembling reactor containment found on U.S. nuclear carriers.
  • The report characterizes the feature as a key indicator of nuclear propulsion while noting the vessel could still be a test ship or module.
  • There has been no official confirmation from Beijing that the carrier will use nuclear power, though state media recently discussed the prospect of nuclear carriers.
  • Newsweek cites additional analyst readings of two large circular covers on the deck as possible reactor pressure vessel components and estimates a displacement above 100,000 tons.
  • The development follows the commissioning of the EMALS-equipped Fujian, underscoring China’s rapid carrier expansion as nuclear propulsion would enable far longer deployments and greater operational reach.