China Unveils Space Aircraft Carrier Supposedly Capable of Attacks From the Edge of Earth’s Atmosphere
China unveiled plans to build a flying aircraft carrier that will supposedly be capable of deploying unmanned fighter jets and firing hypersonic missiles from space. A new concept video revealed the project, dubbed Luanniao.
In a video released by Chinese State media, the proposed world’s largest warship will be 794 feet long, have a 2,244-foot wingspan, and be triangular in shape. The ship’s designers claim that the space aircraft carrier will be able to evade all current air defense systems. This, despite it weighing up to 120,000 tons.
China claims unmanned Xuan Nu fighter jets will be able to launch their missiles at targets on Earth from orbit. The Luanniao will carry up to 88 of these jets. They will be significantly heavier than drones, but still highly maneuverable.
China plans to make it part of its integrated air- and space-defense system, known as the Nantianmen, or “Heavenly Gate,” project. Chinese authorities said the space aircraft carrier could become operational in 20 to 30 years.
Experts cast doubt on the flying aircraft carrier ever becoming a reality
Peter Layton, a defense expert and a visiting fellow at Australia’s Griffith Asia Institute, told the Telegraph that if completed, the Chinese space warship would “outclass pretty much everyone.” While flying over surface-to-air missiles and other fighter aircraft, Layton said, “you’re also out of range of the weather, generally speaking – and you’re out of range of most defensive systems.”
Many experts, including Layton, doubted that the flying aircraft carrier would ever be completed. He has called projects such as this one “unveiled just to inspire the Chinese public,” i.e., propaganda.
German diplomat and space analyst Heinrich Kreft, speaking to DW, compared it to previous Chinese “superweapon” announcements. One example is a submarine-hunting weapon that many experts have called unrealistic.
That being said, Kreft did add, “Many things that were science fiction 20 or 30 years ago are real today.”
