China's New Aircraft Carrier Could Be Even Bigger Than America's USS Ford

The United States Navy has long been the world's dominant blue-water navy, thanks to its huge fleet of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. As of this writing, the U.S. Navy operates 11 active aircraft carriers, which is to say nothing about smaller helicopter carriers. When the USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) entered the fleet in 2017, it did so as the largest warship ever constructed. The Ford measures 1,106 feet long, 256 feet wide, boasts a height of 134 feet, and displaces more than 100,000 tons of seawater.

Now, it seems that China is preparing to overtake the Ford's standing as the biggest warship with its next carrier that's under construction at the Dalian Shipyard in Liaoning province, China. China has been rapidly building out its fleet to better compare its naval might to that of the U.S., and as of this writing, China has three operational aircraft carriers. The next carrier in the line is the Type 004 aircraft carrier, which is believed to be China's first nuclear-powered supercarrier.

If analysts are correct in determining its length, the Type 004 carrier being constructed will stretch 1,112.2 feet in length, making it longer than the U.S.' Ford-class carriers. It would also extend a good 65.6 feet longer than China's Fujian carrier, known as its Type 003 vessel. China's drive to dominate with a massive blue water navy could see even larger warships enter service in the future, though the Type 004 carrier isn't expected to begin operations until at least 2027.

China isn't the type of country that publishes its ship specs on the Internet, so analysts in the West have pored over satellite imagery and other sources of information to understand what China is constructing at its shipyard. Observers began noticing hull assembly beginning at the dry dock in early 2025, and because the configuration is recognizable as an aircraft carrier, it was clear that the Type 004 was being worked on.

One thing that China is known for is construction speed, so it produces its ships far faster than the U.S. and other nations. Because of this, imagery taken in May 2026 showed the pace of construction wasn't slowing down as the vessel began to take shape. It's through these observations that analysts have determined the potential size of the completed carrier, which is likely going to be massive. One thing that's difficult to ascertain at this time is the ship's displacement volume, though some estimates put it at between 110,000 and 120,000 tons.

That information likely won't be confirmed in the West for some time, but from the look of it, it's not impossible that China will utilize the largest warship ever constructed once the Type 004 sets sail. Other estimates of the vessel being constructed suggest that it will have the capacity to field up to 90 aircraft, which is 30 more than the Fujian. The Ford typically operates 75 aircraft at a time, though it could facilitate more if needed. Regardless, it's clear from what China is building that it aims to meet and exceed the combat capabilities of the U.S. Navy.