Is the 004 Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier Being Launched? U.S. Satellite Captures Reactor Components, and the Dry Dock Construction Is in Full Swing!
Recently, the U.S. website "The War Zone" released a set of analytical reports based on commercial satellite imagery, stating that preparations for the construction of a new aircraft carrier—commonly referred to as the "Type 004" by the outside world—are being carried out in a large dry dock at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. The most eye-catching detail is that core components likely used for a ship nuclear reactor have been transported to the site of the dry dock.
The Type 003 Fujian was launched in June 2022 and will officially be commissioned in late 2024. According to the construction rhythm of aircraft carriers over the past ten years (Liaoning's refit, Shandong's first construction, and Fujian's electromagnetic catapult), it usually takes about 3–4 years from the start of construction to the launching of a new aircraft carrier.
Since mid-2024, the Jiangnan Shipyard has been continuously carrying out large-scale infrastructure upgrades in this dry dock area, including the installation of heavy-duty overhead cranes, expansion of modular segment assembly areas, and the construction of dedicated transfer channels with radiation shielding—facilities that are not commonly seen in the construction of conventional power ships.
In early 2025, multiple high-resolution commercial remote sensing satellites (such as Maxar and Planet Labs) captured several large cylindrical structures with special shapes and obvious radiation protection markings being transported into the enclosed work area on the north side of the dry dock. These structures have a diameter of about 4–5 meters and a length exceeding 10 meters, which closely match the size of known pressurized water reactor pressure vessels for ships. Notably, equipment of similar dimensions had also appeared during the construction phase of the Type 093B attack nuclear submarine.
Speaking of the Type 093B, it is indeed an important reference for understanding whether the Type 004 has nuclear propulsion capabilities. Open-source intelligence indicates that the Type 093B has been gradually commissioned since 2018, and its improved version uses a new integrated natural circulation pressurized water reactor, with a thermal power increase of about 30% and a significant reduction in noise levels.
More importantly, this reactor has achieved a higher degree of miniaturization and modularity design—this means that China has mastered the technical path to compress the nuclear propulsion system to fit the installation on surface ships. If the Type 004 aircraft carrier adopts a dual-reactor configuration, the total output power is expected to exceed 200 megawatts, which is sufficient to support a sustained speed of more than 30 knots and an all-electric propulsion system.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848730276546635/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.