China plans to have 6 aircraft carriers by 2035. How will the US Navy compare?

China’s People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) has undergone a broad and extensive modernization and expansion effort in recent years. With dozens of new warships launched and multiple carriers in production, the PLA-N promises to quickly become the dominant power in the Pacific. It’s a serious concern for neighboring nations with overlapping claims on the South China Sea, and for the United States, thanks to the massive amount of commerce shipped over the South China Sea annually. However, there are still a number of hurdles China must overcome before it can secure a place at the top of the region’s military heap.

China currently has only one operational aircraft carrier in service, the Soviet-hulled Liaoning that is actually a sister ship (at least fundamentally) to Russia’s sole and perpetually-troubled carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov. However, China’s first home-built carrier, the Type 001A, is currently undergoing sea trials, and construction of another carrier, the Type 002, began last year. Once completed, the PLA-N will have a fleet of three aircraft carriers-more than enough to project a great deal of force when fully manned and equipped, but these carriers are significantly limited by their propulsion systems. All three carriers rely on massive diesel engines to get around, forcing them to remain within commuting distance of friendly ports for refueling. In effect, the propulsion systems used on China’s first three carriers doom them to a “green water” navy status, meaning, they are unable to serve as a means of force projection beyond the coastal waters of the nation.