| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators |  People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Preceded by | Type 003 aircraft carrier |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type 004 |
| Type | Aircraft carrier |
| Displacement | Up to 110,000 tons[1][2] |
| Propulsion | Nuclear marine propulsion |
| Speed | 30+ knots[5] |
| Aircraft carried | 70 to 100 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft,[3] including J-15 and possibly or J-31 fighters, Xian KJ-600 airborne early warning and control aircraft, anti-submarine warfare aircraft, and stealth attack drones.[4] |
| Aviation facilities | Hangar deck |
The Type 004 aircraft carrier is a planned supercarrier of the People's Liberation Army Navy's aircraft carrier programme. It is intended to be an iteration on the preceding Type 003 aircraft carrier, and like the Type 003, it will feature an integrated electric propulsion system that will allow the operation of electromagnetic catapults.[6] Unlike the conventionally-powered Type 003, the Type 004 will be much larger and also the first Chinese carrier to feature nuclear marine propulsion,[6][7] and could generate enough electricity to power laser weapons and railguns currently under development.[8] As of 2017[update], China hoped to complete this carrier by the late 2020s, and indicated that up to four might be built.[9]
- ^ Farley, Robert (5 May 2018). "China Building 'Nuclear' Aircraft Carriers: Could the Navy's Worst Nightmare Come True?". The National Interest. Center for the National Interest. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ Hutchison, Harold C. (8 Jan 2018). "Communist China started building its third carrier". We Are The Mighty. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ Pike, John. "Aircraft Carrier Project - People's Liberation Army Navy". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
PopSciwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Aircraft Carrier Project - People's Liberation Army Navy". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ a b Roblin, Sebastien (1 May 2017). "The Real Reason the World Needs to Pay Attention to China's Growing Aircraft Carrier Fleet". The National Interest. Center for the National Interest. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
- ^ Mizokami, Kyle (7 September 2018). "Inside China's Plan to Build the Second-Biggest Aircraft Carrier Fleet in the World". Foxtrot Alpha. Jalopnik. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
popsci.comwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "What China's Aircraft Carrier Means for its Naval Defence Capabilities | GRI". 2 June 2017.