FPI / September 6, 2021
Geostrategy-Direct
By Richard Fisher
Imagery accessed by Geostrategy-Direct on Google Earth compiled in July 2021 confirms that the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is advancing construction of a new large drydock capable of work on aircraft carriers, at its large naval complex at Sanya on Hainan Island.
This drydock will increase this base’s role in China’s future military power projection ambitions.
The PLAN started building the drydock in 2016 but its advanced construction status was noted in a tweet on August 27 by naval affairs journalist H.I. Sutton.
He estimates the large drydock bay is 375 meters long and 80 meters wide, large enough to accommodate the new 80,000+ ton Type 003 conventional take off and landing (CTOL) under construction, and that may be launched in Shanghai later this year.
With this drydock, the PLAN will be able to support multiple aircraft carrier battle groups at Sanya or spread to other PLAN bases on Hainan Island. These facilities can also be expected to support new large amphibious power projection ships like the Type 075 Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD).
This drydock is located in the Western portion of the Sanya complex where in July, one of the PLAN’s two ski-jump equipped aircraft carriers was based.
The dock could accommodate two aircraft carriers though there is room to build a second dock for a total of four.
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