17-5-2024 (HONG KONG) Amidst the unveiling of China’s third and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, a peculiar sight has captured the attention of military analysts – a mysterious vessel that appears to be designed specifically for operating fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones. This revelation, reported by Naval News on Wednesday, could underscore China’s aims to advance the military use of drones and their deployment in battle.
Video footage from the Fujian’s first sea trial earlier this month inadvertently revealed another giant warship under construction – the Type 076 amphibious assault ship, believed to serve as both a helicopter and drone carrier. However, it was the presence of an unannounced vessel at the Jiangsu Dayang shipyard on the Yangtze River that piqued the interest of observers.
According to satellite imagery analyzed by Naval News, the mystery ship, “launched in December 2022 but not reported until now,” exhibits features distinct from regular US or Chinese aircraft carriers. Its smaller size – approximately one-third the length and half the width of a US or Chinese supercarrier – and an “anachronistic” straight deck arrangement suggest that it would not allow traditional aircraft to take off and land simultaneously.
While the vessel’s design could potentially accommodate fixed-wing aircraft or drones with a wingspan of around 20 meters, its low flight deck implies insufficient space for a hangar to support prolonged or high-tempo flight operations. This limitation could restrict the number of aircraft supported but “make sense” as a dedicated drone carrier.
“It is immediately apparent that it is, in general arrangement, an aircraft carrier of some sort. It has a marked runaway running along the port [on the left side] with an island superstructure on the starboard right side,” the Naval News report stated. “Beyond this, it is unusual in every respect. The hull is a widely spaced catamaran. While catamarans are often featured in aircraft carrier concepts because they allow a large deck area, no one has actually built one before.”
As navies around the world explore the integration of UAVs into their operations, with drones playing a pivotal role in ongoing conflicts like the war in Ukraine, China appears to be at the forefront of this emerging domain. With a thriving military drone market, exporting more than 280 combat UAVs in the past decade, particularly to the Middle East and South Asia, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) arms transfer database, the potential unveiling of a dedicated drone carrier could solidify China’s position as a leader in this field.
The reasons behind China’s decision to construct the world’s first drone carrier remain shrouded in mystery. Naval News speculates that the vessel could serve as part of an opposing force for training purposes, mimicking adversary forces for the Chinese navy. Alternatively, it could be an experimental platform designed to test and develop drone operations at sea.
