Global Markets
Home›Global Markets›Trade & Tariffs›China develops fast combat-support ship for future Typ…
China develops fast combat-support ship for future Type 004 carrier
Satellite imagery cited by the South China Morning Post shows construction progress near Guangzhou and highlights a supply role for future carrier battle groups.
China is developing a large fast combat-support ship intended to support long-range operations of its future Type 004 aircraft carrier, which is still under construction, according to the South China Morning Post.
The outlet said commercial satellite imagery captured on July 2, provided by Planet Labs and published by defense news outlet The War Zone, showed construction progress at the Comec Longxue shipyard near Guangzhou and offered new details on the vessel’s layout.
An imagery analyst at defense intelligence company Janes, Sean O’Connor, said the ship is assessed as a larger variant of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s existing Type 901 fast replenishment ship and is likely designed to better supply forthcoming carrier battle groups.
The South China Morning Post reported that the ship’s mission would cover the broader specialized logistics aircraft carriers require, including aviation fuel, precision-guided weapons, spare parts, and provisions for thousands of personnel, and said it is about 271 meters long with a beam of about 37 meters, ranking among the world’s largest replenishment ships when completed.