China's Type 004 Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier: From Dalian Shipyard to the Reshaping of the Indo-Pacific Power Structure

On April 24, 2026, multiple open-source intelligence platforms simultaneously updated their analysis of the latest satellite images of the Dalian Shipyard, confirming that the construction progress of the Chinese Navy's fourth aircraft carrier—Type 004—has advanced to approximately 25%. This giant vessel, clearly defined by the Pentagon in the 2026 "China Military Power Report" as a "nuclear-powered supercarrier," is expected to have a full-load displacement of 110,000 to 120,000 tons, far exceeding the current active Chinese aircraft carriers, the Liaoning (60,000 tons) and the Shandong (70,000 tons), and will surpass the U.S. Navy's Ford-class (approximately 100,000 tons), becoming the largest surface combatant in the world by tonnage. For the People's Liberation Army Navy, which has long focused on a "regional denial/anti-access" core strategy, the emergence of the Type 004 signifies a decisive moment in its transformation from a near-seas defensive force to a global blue-water navy.

The core technical indicators of the Type 004 point to a clear goal: achieving complete parity with, or even surpassing, the U.S. Navy's carrier strike groups at the platform level. According to comprehensive assessments from defense media such as French meta-defense, the Type 004 will be equipped with four electromagnetic catapults (EMALS), a technology that has already been validated on the Type 003 Fujian. On September 22, 2025, Chinese state media publicly released footage of the electromagnetic catapult tests on the Fujian, where the J-15T heavy carrier-based fighter, J-35 stealth carrier-based fighter, and KJ-600 fixed-wing early warning aircraft were successively launched from the Fujian's deck, marking China as the second country in the world, after the United States, to master aircraft carrier electromagnetic catapult technology and achieve multi-type compatibility. The Type 004 will further optimize the reliability and sortie rate of the electromagnetic catapult system, theoretically enabling it to launch more and heavier carrier-based aircraft in a given time frame.

The nuclear propulsion system is a core feature that distinguishes the Type 004 from the previous three Chinese aircraft carriers. Although the Fujian uses electromagnetic catapults, its conventional power system limits its sustained high-speed maneuverability and ability to operate far from base—requiring frequent at-sea replenishments during high-intensity flight operations. The Type 004's dual nuclear reactor design will completely eliminate this shortcoming, allowing it to maintain a sustained speed of over 30 knots, truly achieving global power projection. This not only has tactical significance but also grants the Chinese Navy unprecedented operational freedom at the geopolitical level: a nuclear-powered carrier strike group can free itself from reliance on regional supply bases, maintaining a long-term military presence in the Indian Ocean, South Pacific, and even the Atlantic.

The scale of the air wing for the Type 004 is also noteworthy. According to an analysis by Army Recognition in April 2026, the ship's hangar and deck design can accommodate up to 105 various types of carrier-based aircraft, far exceeding the approximately 75 typically carried by the Ford-class. The planned carrier-based aircraft mix includes: the J-35 stealth fighter for air superiority and anti-ship strike missions, the J-15T heavy multi-role fighter for long-range strikes and anti-ship firepower, the KJ-600 fixed-wing early warning aircraft to establish a fleet-wide early warning and command control network, and various types of carrier-based drones for reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and loyal wingman missions. This fleet composition emphasizes multi-layered air superiority, deep strike capabilities, and comprehensive battlefield situational awareness, reflecting the clear intention of the Chinese Navy's aviation forces to transition from "platform-centric warfare" to "network-centric warfare."

When observing the Type 004 within the broader context of the Chinese Navy's development, its strategic logic becomes clearer. As of early 2026, the Chinese Navy possesses over 370 various types of vessels, surpassing the U.S. Navy in number to become the largest maritime force in the world. Over the past decade, China has expanded its fleet at an average rate of more than one major destroyer, several frigates, and auxiliary vessels per year, with the mass commissioning of the Type 055 destroyers providing world-class regional air defense and anti-ship escort capabilities for future carrier strike groups. Against the backdrop of the U.S. Navy's fleet shrinking to 287 vessels, the comparative naval power dynamics between China and the U.S. are accelerating. The Pentagon assesses that the People's Liberation Army Navy aims to equip nine aircraft carriers by 2035—this would be the largest expansion of aircraft carriers in the Indo-Pacific region since World War II.

The timing of the Type 004's construction is also worth analyzing. In October 2025, following the Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) was officially released, listing "intelligent warfare" as a core direction for the modernization of the armed forces. The plan emphasizes accelerating the development of cutting-edge fields such as quantum technology, artificial intelligence, and counter-hypersonic weapons. The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) noted in its March 2026 analysis that the 15th Five-Year Plan marks a clear transition for China from "informationized" to "intelligent" warfare. In this context, the Type 004 nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is not only an increment in naval equipment but also a key node in the PLA's move towards "intelligent joint operations"—a floating integrated combat platform capable of deploying hundreds of aircraft globally, which will have a multiplicative effect in areas such as command and control, data link integration, and unmanned system collaboration.

An objective assessment of the Type 004's combat effectiveness must remain clear-headed. The U.S. Navy has accumulated a wealth of institutional knowledge regarding carrier air wing operations, damage control, task force coordination, and logistical support through decades of real-world carrier experience—from the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, to ongoing deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. The dual-band radar, advanced weapons elevators, and integrated power systems on the Ford-class remain the most mature carrier combat systems currently available. China still has certain gaps compared to the U.S. Navy in terms of carrier operational experience, the scale of carrier-based pilot training, and real combat testing.

However, the emergence of the Type 004 signifies a trend that cannot be ignored: the capacity advantage of China's shipbuilding industry is being transformed into quantifiable military power. An early 2026 assessment by the U.S. Naval War College pointed out that China's shipbuilding capacity is approximately 230 times that of the U.S. (measured by total tonnage), and this industrial base advantage enables China to simultaneously advance the operational readiness of the Fujian, the construction of the Type 004, and the design of the subsequent Type 005. When industrial capacity, technological accumulation, and strategic will converge, the structural changes in the global maritime power landscape will no longer be gradual but may present a tipping point at some moment.

From a broader perspective, the functional positioning of the Type 004 nuclear-powered aircraft carrier has exceeded the general notion of maritime power projection. In a strategic environment where the South China Sea arbitration case continues to ferment, the Taiwan Strait situation is periodically tense, and the Sino-Indian border disputes are emerging, a 120,000-ton nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is not just a military asset but also a diplomatic declaration. It will, alongside the Type 055 destroyers, Type 095 attack submarines, and the increasingly mature carrier strike group combat system, form the core tools for China to express its strategic intentions in the Indo-Pacific—and even globally. For decision-makers and analysts concerned with security in the Asia-Pacific, this colossal vessel gradually taking shape in the Dalian shipyard is worth continuous tracking.