Why China Keeps An Aircraft Carrier In The Middle Of The Desert

Let's be honest. The last place you'd ever expect to find an aircraft carrier is smack in the middle of a desert. These behemoths, such as the Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov, are known to dominate the high seas, carrying dozens of fighter jets and hundreds of crew members. One of their primary functions is to act as a floating airfield that can deploy and recover air power without depending on foreign bases. Since these carriers are all ships, wouldn't you need water for them to traverse? Yes, you would. Well, unless you are the Chinese military. 

It came to light that China has an aircraft carrier in the middle of the desert, and many, especially those not well-versed in the global political and military landscape, have been wondering why. To answer the question, said aircraft carrier is very different from the ones that operate under the U.S. military. For one, this is a mock-up that the Chinese military uses as a target for training and testing purposes. However, while this is an interesting development, it is what the carrier resembles that has raised eyebrows worldwide.

The mock-up in question is located in the Taklamakan Desert in the Xinjiang province, which is situated in the northwestern region of the country. As you would expect, the area is well-protected, just like any other military base — think of the 750 bases that the U.S. has spread across the globe. However, what has caught the international eye about this particular Chinese base is the aircraft carrier, the images of which bear a striking resemblance to the U.S. Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier. 

These images, courtesy of Planet Labs, were taken by satellite and show a darkened full-scale replica of the Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier. If you're not familiar with this class of warship, the USS Gerald R. Ford (it's the only one of its kind built so far) is among the largest aircraft carriers in the world today, measuring 1,106 feet in length and boasting a 256-foot-wide flight deck. It can accommodate up to 90 aircraft and features several enhancements, including an electric plant and two new A1B nuclear reactors, ensuring sufficient power for the numerous electric systems and utilities on board. Given the ship's state-of-the-art specifications and its capabilities, it should come as no surprise that the Chinese military has a replica used for target practice.

In this regard, one might even argue that China is using this mock-up to deter potential threats by showcasing its firepower against the carrier. The Chinese military, more precisely the People's Liberation Army, has been using this replica, along with other mock-up vessels, as targets for its anti-ship ballistic missiles like the DF-26, which is known to be effective against carriers. The images also captured masts strategically erected on the USS Gerald R. Ford replica, which the Chinese military can use to recreate the Ford's full radar signature. 

What's even more interesting is that China has been testing its weaponry out in the desert for years now, and it's common knowledge that this replica isn't the first mock-up its military has rigged up. There are other target vessels that the satellite was able to snap, including one that resembles a U.S. Arleigh Burke–class destroyer. Older satellite imagery also shows ship replicas in the desert, with a focus on U.S. military warships, among other vessels.