In the early hours of 15 May 2024, Naval News published a detailed article- claiming China to have launched a Drone Carrier: the first of its kind, compact and modernized and it’s use case being highly specific.[i] Drones have recently began to establish its importance in naval fleets across the globe. Officially the carrier has not been declared, such is expected of PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy). The information regarding the Type-003 Fujian is now publicly available as it is undergoing sea trials.[ii] The drone carrier on the other hand, is analysed in great detail, with the help of satellite imagery and an expert.
Although this is not the first time China’s drone capacity has been discussed in naval context. The Type 076 Amphibious assault ship which was discovered last month was said to have drone capacities.[iii] The new drone carrier was discovered along the Jiangsu Dayang shipyard on the Yangtze, far upriver from the major yards of Shanghai, the carrier is said to host fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These drone mechanisms are a part of the Chinese “Electronic blue force”.[iv]
Although the purpose of the drone carrier could be for research purposes, it is no harm to be wary of the upcoming expansive naval fleet China is continuing to grow. This is specifically in regards to the dragons recent power demonstrations in the Indo-Pacific region especially over the South-China sea, the tensions in the Taiwan Strait and recent conflicts with Philippines. Other navies such as Turkey and Iran have unveiled plans to invest in drone carriers, but China seems to have won the race. [v]
The carrier has been analysed thoroughly through satellite imagery and is said to have a marked runaway running along the port with an island superstructure on the starboard side.[vi] The carrier seems like an aircraft carrier of sorts, but other than a basic structure, the details are highly unusual, with the hull having a widely spaced catamaran.[vii] In theory, catamaran is extensively discussed but has never been built before. The hanger deck is said to be under the flight deck, but that would make the ceiling very low. [viii]The positioning of the hangers suggests that the carrier would not be used for prolonged use.[ix]
The drone carrier seems to have shifted the attention of defence personnel from deep sea naval warfare to that of integration of technology and AI into naval fleets. Since the carrier is the first in the world, it does not copy any western patterns, suggesting the reasoning behind its peculiar formation. Despite, the question arises though, why would you need a naval drone carrier in the first place, considering cost would lower if the drones are operated from shore.
The existence of the drone carrier poses multiple questions- will the naval capacities of countries change itself for the integration of UAV technology, whether China needs a naval drone carrier and if the ship that is reported is in fact a military instrument, or just a research vessel. The new carrier remains mysterious as of now, the space has to be watched rather carefully.
Endnotes:
[i] H I Sutton, “China Builds World’S First Dedicated Drone Carrier,” Naval News, May 15, 2024,
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/05/china-builds-worlds-first-dedicated-drone-carrier/.
[ii] Online, Et. “Here’s How China’s Fujian Aircraft Carrier Poses New Challenges for Indian Navy.” The Economic Times, May 10, 2024.
[iii] Joe, Rick. “Whispers of 076, China’s Drone Carrying Assault Carrier.” The Diplomat, August 21, 2020. https://thediplomat.com/2020/08/whispers-of-076-chinas-drone-carrying-assault-carrier/.
[iv] Gabriel Honrada, “China Floats World’S First Drone Aircraft Carrier,” Asia Times, May 22, 2024,
https://asiatimes.com/2024/05/china-floats-worlds-first-drone-aircraft-carrier/.
[v] Paul Iddon, “Turkey and Iran Are Commissioning Unique Drone Carriers,” Forbes, May 10, 2023,
[vi] Sutton, H I. “China Builds World’S First Dedicated Drone Carrier.” Naval News, May 15, 2024.
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2024/05/china-builds-worlds-first-dedicated-drone-carrier/.
[vii] Ibid.
[viii] Ibid.
[ix] TOI World Desk. “Breakthrough in Naval Warfare: China Launches First-ever Drone Aircraft Carrier.” The Times of India, May 17, 2024.
By:
Jahnavi Dhir, Research Intern, USI CS3