China’s high-tech aircraft carrier built to match US military might ‘close to completion’, new satellite pics suggest

CHINA’S new aircraft carrier, being built to match US military might, is nearing completion, new pictures show.

The satellite images show the Type 003 taking shape in Shanghai and it’s believed the vessel could be ready early in the new year.

China already has two aircraft carriers, which are based on aging Soviet Cold War era designs dating, both weighing 60,000 tons.

But the new ship is expected to be a 100,000 ton ‘supercarrier’ able to match those of America's powerful Nimitz class ships.

It will feature more advanced aircraft launching technology allowing it to launch the FC-31 new generation of stealth fighters, much faster and with more weapons from its deck than existing ships.

The pictures have been revealed by the Washington-based CSIS think-tank.

Matthew Funaiole, senior fellow at the CSIS's China Project, said the new ship would be the Chinese military's "first foray into a modern aircraft carrier”.

"This is a pretty significant step forward," he said.

"They've really committed to building out a carrier program, and they continue to push the boundaries of what they're able to do."

Building the new ship says that China “wants to signal to the world that it has a world-class navy”.

The images were taken on October 23 and show the ship in the Jiangnan shipyard.

The installation of major components, including power plants and the aircraft launching system, appears to either be finished or on the verge of completion, CSIS said.

Unlike its nuclear powered US rivals, the Chinese ship is expected to have conventional engines.

A few additional items will be installed before the vessel can slip into the Yangtze River, the analysts added.

Based on available information and observed progress at Jiangnan, the CSIS said it estimated the Type 003 will launch in roughly three to six months.

Currently China’s aircraft carriers use ski-jumps to launch aircraft but the catapults will allow the Type 003 launch a new mix of aircraft at sea.

WANTS WORLD CLASS NAVY

These will include airborne early-warning and control craft, tankers and electronic-jamming planes. 

Aircraft launched by catapults can get airborne quicker and with greater quantities of fuel and ammunition

That gives advantage over planes launched by ski jump, which rely on their own power when lifting off and so use up fuel.

The new images come as fears of war between China and the US rise with the Chinese using mock-ups of American carriers for hypersonic missile target practice.

Its forces have also been plotting a ‘Pearl Harbor’ style attack using underwater bombs in a bid to cripple the US Navy, its state media reports.

But while the ship may soon come into service, being able to use if effectively against the US Navy is still a long way off.