Why China may need to take the nuclear option for its next aircraft carrier

Last Updated on January 18, 2026 10:46 pm

By Liu Zhen and Alcott Wei in Beijing

China’s newest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, has significant design flaws that future carriers can overcome only by adopting nuclear power, according to a military magazine.

The Fujian is the country’s first domestically designed aircraft carrier and was commissioned in November.

With a displacement of over 80,000 tonnes, it is the world’s largest conventional warship and the first non-American ship to be equipped with advanced electromagnetic catapults.

However, the most advanced US ships – the Gerald R. Ford class – have three catapults compared with the Chinese ship’s two, making their launch process faster and more efficient.

The article in the Shipborne Weapons Defence Review also identified problems that it said could only be overcome by making future carriers nuclear-powered.

The first two Chinese carriers were based on Soviet-era designs, but the Fujian can carry a full spectrum of aircraft, ranging from fifth-generation stealth fighters and surveillance planes to drones.

Source : SCMP