Could China’s Mock Test Facility Hint What Its Next Carrier Might Look Like?
Published on: September 29, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Cropped image of the longer picture showing a new island on the mock carrier test facility, way behind at the stern, at Wuhan. (Image credit: Andreas Rupprecht on X)
The Wuhan carrier mockup previously replicated the Fujian, and the new configuration might hint at the PLA Navy’s fourth aircraft carrier.
Modifications made to a known Chinese carrier mockup in Wuhan, frequently seen in satellite images and which previously replicated the
CNS Fujian (CV-18), might be representative of the PLA Navy’s upcoming fourth flattop, recent
images shared by leading Chinese military researcher
Andreas Rupprecht suggest.
With the Fujian now having nearly become operational with the
launch of the KJ-600 AEW&C aircraft and
J-35 and
J-15T naval fighters earlier last week, the mockup facility has now been modified with a new island structure and some additional renovation work spotted over time in satellite and other unofficial images.
The rapid logistical and operational progress operating the ideal mix of all types AEW&C, Gen. 4.5 and Gen. 5 aircraft can be credited to this unorthodox approach of rehearsing their use on a full-sized mock carrier test facility. This is alongside testing with mockups of the J-15, J-35, KJ-600 and GJ-11 UCAV on both the Fujian’s mockup and the actual ship itself.
Aircraft mockups on carrier test facility and completed carrier
The Fujian was launched on Jun. 17, 2022, and began its
first round of sea trials in May 2024. Its fifth, seventh and eight test campaigns were reported in
December 2024,
March 2025 and
May 2025, respectively. The massive multi-aircraft trials off its EMALS (Electro-Magnetic Launch System) catapult, that may have taken place between Sep. 15 and 21, was part of the ninth round of sea trials.
Until the carrier’s first sea trials in May 2024, the test facility at Wuhan replicated the island structure, and hosted mock-ups of the GJ-11, J-15, and KJ-600, an
image from December 2023 showed. Mock ups of aircraft have also been seen on the completed carrier, while still undergoing minor outfitting work on the island in
November-December 2023 and
March 2024.
This might be to reduce the time required by the ship to reach the IOC and FOC (Initial/Final Operational Capability). Simply put, the carrier mockup would act as an actual physical simulation to firm up the logistical procedures and suitable movement practices around the airframes through their mock ups.
The commissioning deck crews could be practicing moving the airframes around with tractors and refining ‘chock and chain’ procedures, while getting used to moving around them in the full range of flight deck operations, before the actual sea trials begin.
The jets would meanwhile be practicing take-offs and landings at naval air base facilities, one of which has been known to be at
Huangdicun, near Xincheng, and which is complete with “ski jump” ramps and catapults for launch. At the same time, the ship undergoes tweaks and repairs every time it comes back into port after sailing tests.
Changes to the carrier mockup
On
Jan. 4, 2025, Rupprecht shared a satellite image showing the deck area of the carrier test facility undergoing “renovation for the Type 004 nuclear-powered aircraft carrier most likely.” Another satellite image he shared on
Mar. 27, showed the island had been shifted further back. Two other images surfaced on May 25 and Aug. 8, showing the island structure on the carrier test site.
The bigger, full length image emerged on Sep. 24, after the scaffoldings were removed, showed the shape of the island, largely similar to the one on the Fujian. This configuration is also similar to the USS Gerald R. Ford, but even that flattop does not have the island that far back, as we are seeing on this facility. Another mysterious structure is seen behind the island.
Another carrier, shown in concepts with a rear-placed island, is the French Navy’s (Marine Nationale) new generation aircraft carrier (Porte-avions de nouvelle génération). This ship would be nuclear-powered and feature an EMALs.
Rupprecht replied in the affirmative when
The Aviationist asked him if this new test facility could be representative of the PLA Navy’s fourth carrier. “Yes indeed That‘s most likely how the fourth carrier will look like (even if that reward-facing part that looks like a stack is still strange,” he said, referring to the unidentified structure behind the island.
It is not known whether this structure could be a dedicated exhaust, or another island, in a twin-island configuration. The distance between the two structures is however too close for such a design, and needs a separation of several tens of meters.
Conclusion
How far the new Chinese carrier would conform to this design is not yet known. There has been no rendition from official sources or state media so far. However, we can be assured that China will build it. It would be inconceivable for it to not have nuclear propulsion, given how the PLAN skipped a steam-powered catapult system and directly adopted an EMALS system.
Atomic power would generate more electricity and power EMALS to launch even heavier aircraft. In its bid to outmatch the U.S., Beijing is pulling out all stops.
The Wuhan carrier mockup previously replicated the Fujian, and the new configuration might hint at the PLA Navy’s fourth aircraft carrier. Modifications
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