China Prepares Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier – Changing the Balance in the Pacific
Kyle Mizokami, in an article in Popular Mechanics (February 26, 2025), describes how China is moving closer to building its first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which would significantly change the strategic balance in the Pacific Ocean. To date, China's aircraft carriers (Liaoning, Shandong and Fujian) are conventional, burn oil and require constant refueling, limiting their range. Adopting nuclear propulsion — as is the case with the US Nimitz and Ford — would allow Chinese ships to travel for months without refueling.
China is working on a new, powerful naval reactor in Sichuan (Base 909), capable of powering large warships. Although the fourth Chinese aircraft carrier will not be nuclear-powered, the development shows that such ships are close to being realized. A Chinese nuclear-powered aircraft carrier would be able to operate as far as the US coast, enhancing China's global power projection and reducing the US's strategic advantage.
🔗 Read the original article at Popular Mechanics
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