China has constructed a training facility in the Taklamakan Desert featuring full-scale replicas of US Navy warships — including a Gerald R. Ford-class carrier and an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer — for live-fire missile drills, according to a defense report. The site includes a 37.5 km railway to move the targets realistically.
China has built a dedicated target range in the remote Taklamakan Desert of Xinjiang province, equipped with full-scale mock-ups of US Navy vessels, according to satellite imagery analyzed by defense monitors. The facility includes a life-sized replica of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, used as targets for anti-ship missile training. A 37.5 km railway track, 6 meters wide, runs through the site, allowing the targets to be moved to simulate realistic naval engagements.
As The Zioneer reported on June 21, satellite photos had earlier shown the replica carrier under construction. The new report adds detail on the railway and confirms the facility is operational for live-fire drills. The training site is part of China's broader military buildup in the region, which also includes expanded nuclear and missile facilities in the Gobi Desert, as The Zioneer noted on June 20.
China has not commented publicly on the facility. The report comes amid heightened US-China tensions over Taiwan, where Taiwan recently conducted its first live-fire drill using US-made HIMARS against a simulated Chinese invasion force, reported by The Zioneer on June 10.
2 developments
- DevelopingChina builds full-scale replica of US warship at missile testing site
- DevelopingChina expanding vast military and nuclear facilities in Gobi Desert, experts say
- DevelopingTaiwan runs major multi-threat resilience exercise simulating Chinese blockade and invasion
- StrongTaiwan fires US-made HIMARS at simulated Chinese invasion force for first time
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