Article Summary – In remote Chinese deserts, full-scale mockups of U.S. carriers and destroyers sit on rails, serving as precision target labs for Beijing’s growing anti-ship arsenal.
-These replicas let China test DF-21D and DF-26 “carrier killer” missiles, hypersonic weapons, and sensor networks under controlled conditions, refining guidance, terminal strike accuracy, and battle damage expectations.
U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Sailing. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-The effort anchors a broader A2/AD strategy aimed at keeping U.S. carrier strike groups outside the first island chain and away from any Taiwan fight.
But hitting a static desert target is far easier than defeating a defended carrier at sea, and the testing fuels a dangerous regional arms race.
Satellite Photos Show Why China Is Practicing to Sink U.S. Aircraft Carriers
In 2020, satellite imagery of desert regions in China showed large structures that closely resembled U.S. aircraft carriers. Other structures showed smaller vessels resembling Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and other U.S. surface ships. Curiously, some of these structures sat on rail lines to simulate basic movement.
The mockups were likely designed to test out the effectiveness and accuracy of some of China’s new anti-ship missiles in preparation for a potential conflict with the U.S.
Why China is Building Fake Aircraft Carriers in its Deserts
The mockups serve as training and testing platforms for China’s growing arsenal of anti-ship weapons, particularly long-range precision missiles such as the DF-21D and DF-26, which are often referred to as “carrier killers.”
These weapons are central to China’s Anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy, which aims to keep U.S. forces at bay during a conflict.
Missile systems require rigorous testing under conditions that mimic real-world scenarios, and a carrier mockup helps replicate the radar signature of an actual carrier. Simulated movement thanks to rails allows engineers to test tracking and strike capabilities against moving targets.
Improving missile accuracy is critical. China’s anti-ship ballistic missiles rely on complex guidance systems, including satellite navigation, radar seekers, and possibly infrared sensors. Testing against realistic targets ensures that during terminal guidance, the final phase of missile flight, a projectile can make precise adjustments to hit a moving carrier. Impact tests also provide valuable data on missile performance, warhead effectiveness, and penetration capabilities.
Aug. 8, 2017 – The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) maneuvers between the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), left, and the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77), right, for a photo exercise during exercise Saxon Warrior 2017, Aug. 8. Saxon Warrior is a United States and United Kingdom co-hosted carrier strike group exercise that demonstrates allied interoperability and capability to respond to crises and deter potential threats. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Theron J. Godbold /Released)
China’s deserts, especially those in Xinjiang and Gansu provinces, offer ideal conditions for testing.
The regions are isolated, minimizing the risk of foreign surveillance and civilian interference. The flat terrain provides a controlled environment for measuring missile trajectories and impact points with precision.
China’s Area Denial Strategy
The existence of these mockups highlights several key aspects of China’s military strategy. First, Beijing understands that it cannot match the might of the U.S. Navy in the near term, so it focuses on denying U.S. forces access to critical regions through long-range missiles. The DF-21D has a range of about 1,500 kilometers, and the DF-26 can reach up to 4,000 kilometers. These weapons allow China to target carriers far from its shores, supported by integrated surveillance systems that include space-based sensors, drones, and over-the-horizon radars.
Second, the mockups suggest that China is preparing for potential high-end conflict against the United States, particularly over Taiwan.
Neutralizing carriers would be a priority in such a conflict. Third, these structures may also be used to test emerging technologies beyond ballistic missiles, such as hypersonic glide vehicles, which are faster and harder to intercept than traditional missiles. They could also support experiments with Electronic Warfare (EW) systems designed to disrupt carrier communications and radar, as well as drone swarms intended to overwhelm carrier defenses.
Target Practice
China is not the first nation to build mock targets for military testing. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union constructed mockups of Western assets for missile development.
Similarly, the U.S. military uses target ships and mock facilities for its own weapons testing.
DF-100 Missiles: X Screengrab.
DF-26 China Missile Attack on Fake Aircraft Carrier Cut Out. Image Credit: Chinese Weibo Screenshot.
However, the scale and specificity of China’s carrier mockups underscore its focus on countering U.S. naval power in a way that is both technologically sophisticated and strategically deliberate.
While these mockups demonstrate China’s intent, the tests are still a far cry from recreating real naval conditions. Targeting a carrier in combat is far more complex than striking a stationary mockup in the desert. Carriers operate with escorts, electronic countermeasures, and layered defenses, making them difficult to hit.
Accurate targeting requires real-time data, which is vulnerable to disruption through cyber attacks or EW. Furthermore, developing carrier-killer capabilities could provoke an arms race and heighten tensions in the Indo-Pacific, increasing the risk of miscalculation and escalation.
China’s Rising Military Might
China’s efforts must be viewed within the larger U.S.-China strategic competition. The United States seeks to maintain freedom of navigation and deter aggression through carrier deployments, while China aims to push U.S. forces farther from its shores.
Regional powers such as Japan, Australia, and India are enhancing their own capabilities in response to China’s buildup. All sides are investing heavily in advanced technologies, including hypersonics, missile defense, and cyber warfare, creating a dynamic and potentially volatile security environment.
Over the past two decades, China has embarked on one of the most ambitious military modernization programs in history.
The People’s Liberation Army Navy has evolved from a coastal defense force into a blue-water navy capable of projecting power far beyond China’s shores.
This transformation is driven by several factors. First, China seeks to secure its maritime periphery, including the South China Sea and East China Sea, which are vital for trade and energy imports.
Second, Beijing views Taiwan as a core national interest and anticipates that any attempt to reunify by force could trigger U.S. intervention. Finally, China recognizes that the U.S. Navy, with its carrier strike groups, remains the most formidable maritime force globally. Neutralizing or deterring these carriers is essential for China to achieve regional dominance.
About the Author: Isaac Seitz
Isaac Seitz, a Defense Columnist, graduated from Patrick Henry College’s Strategic Intelligence and National Security program. He has also studied Russian at Middlebury Language Schools and has worked as an intelligence Analyst in the private sector.
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