A satellite image from Maxar indicates that the Chinese military has built mockups or models shaped like US Navy aircraft carriers and US warships, possibly as targets for target practice. The image was reviewed by the independent US Naval Institute (USNI), as per CNN reports.
USNI reports satellite images of China’s northwest Xinjiang region appear to show detailed figures of an aircraft carrier currently under construction for the US Navy and for two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers located at a new target range complex in the Taklamakan Desert.
The complex has repeatedly been used for ballistic missile testing according to USNI and Maxar Technologies, which is a space technology company. The PLARF (People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force) oversees China’s anti-ship ballistic missile program.
Worldwide, military forces build mockups of real-world targets, such as iconic landmarks, warships, and aircraft carriers.
