China might be building its first aircraft carrier on its own soil, according to satellite images released by IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly.
The images show "an unidentified hull in an advanced state of construction at Dalian shipyard" in northern China, JDW said in a press release. The nature of the construction process suggests a military vessel.
"While a conclusive identification of the hull as an aircraft carrier cannot be made until work is observed on the upper decks and potential flight deck, the slow pace of assembly and outline suggests a military hull under construction," JDW said.
Cmdr. Bill Urban, a Pentagon spokesman, said, "we're aware and closely monitoring the situation" of the potential carrier.
China already has one carrier, the Liaoning, that it purchased from Ukraine in 1998 and retrofitted for a decade. If the vessel under construction at Dalian is an aircraft carrier, it would be the Chinese Navy’s first indigenous carrier.
JDW said the potential carrier, known as "001A," appears to be under construction at the same dry dock where the Liaoning was refurbished. If not an aircraft carrier, the vessel could also be an amphibious assault ship or a helicopter carrier.
A report from Taiwan’s Defense Ministry obtained by Reuters last month, said that the People’s Liberation Army is building two carriers—equal in size to the Liaoning—at Dalian and in Shanghai. The addition of carriers appears to be part of Beijing’s plans to shift resources from land forces to a blue-water navy that could project power in international waters.
U.S. officials have become increasingly alarmed about China’s actions in the South China Sea, where it has constructed about 3,000 acres of manmade islands and made preparations to outfit them with military facilities and equipment. Beijing’s aggressive island building could raise the risk of conflict in a region with disputed territories and important international trading routes.
The Liaoning has participated in military exercises in the South China Sea but is not yet fully operational.
U.S. military officials say China has warned them about reconnaissance flights and drone operations in the area.