China has quietly constructed a full-scale 3D replica of a US Navy destroyer deep in the Taklamakan Desert, a move that military analysts warn could be tied to Beijing’s weapons testing and naval strike simulations.
Satellite imagery from the US-based company Vantor shows what appears to be a model of an American Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the remote desert area, where China has previously built mockups of US warships.
The imitation vessel is roughly 510 feet long and appears to include features similar to those found on US destroyers, including a helicopter landing system, bridge structure and deck-mounted guns.
Joseph Wu, co-founder of the Taiwan Defense Studies Initiative, was the first to spot and identify the site last month.
It is not the first time China has been observed building replicas of US Navy warships and aircraft carriers in the Taklamakan Desert, which lies in China’s Xinjiang province.
In 2021, satellite photos revealed that Beijing had assembled sophisticated targets resembling an aircraft carrier and at least two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
Defense experts have said the mock ships may allow China to test how American naval vessels could withstand missile attacks and other strike scenarios involving Beijing’s growing arsenal.
Chinese officials have not publicly commented on the desert replicas.
The People Liberation Army has also reportedly built scale models of Taiwan’s government buildings for military practice — as annexing the autonomous country remains a top priority for Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Such a move would likely place China and the US in direct conflict as America has repeatedly warned Beijing from invading Taiwan.
