China appears to be developing one of its largest fast combat-support ships for the future long-range operations of its Type 004 aircraft carrier, which is still under construction. Commercial satellite imagery captured on July 2, provided by Planet Labs and published by defence news outlet TWZ, shows construction progress at the Comec Longxue shipyard near Guangzhou and reveals fresh details of the vessel’s layout. The images offer insight into how Beijing plans to keep future strike groups supplied at sea. Assessed as a larger variant of the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s existing Type 901 fast replenishment ship, the new vessel was “likely tailored to supporting more advanced aircraft carriers, such as the forthcoming Type 004 and their attendant battle groups”, Sean O’Connor, an imagery analyst with defence intelligence company Janes, said.

Full report : China is building a massive ship that should scare Americans about the future.