With China’s new Type 076, will we witness a drone carrier arms race?

It also begs the question of how such developments might change the balance of maritime time power worldwide. So, why is China so focused on drone technology, and what could this mean for trigger points like Taiwan and the South China Sea in general?

Let’s take a look.

Drone motherships are now in vogue

We’ve previously written about how several of the world’s navies invest heavily in drones, specifically drone carriers or motherships. These novel warships come in various shapes and sizes, with many, like Turkey’s TCG Anadolu (pictured in the featured image), starting life as more traditional helicopter carriers or amphibious assault ships.

But what are these new classes of ship exactly? The short answer is there has yet to be a definition for one.

A work-in-progress definition of a drone carrier could be a naval vessel designed to operate as a mobile aviation platform, mainly for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In this sense, this type of ship would function as a command center, launch pad, and recovery site for UAV operations, extending the traditional role of aircraft carriers to include a focus on drone technology.

Such ships would be very versatile assets in modern naval warfare. They could deploy UAVs for various missions, including surveillance, reconnaissance, and combat operations, while still retaining the capability to deploy conventional aircraft and support amphibious operations.

However, such vessels are generally specialized helicopters or ambitious assault ships. They are much smaller than their larger dedicated aircraft carrier cousins and are typically designed for brown water (lakes, rivers, and littoral environments) or coastal operations.

Such ships can be helpful in blue-water operations (at sea), such as antisubmarine warfare, search and rescue, and other special operations. If such vessels are augmented or dedicated to using drones (air—and waterborne), they could be handy for many naval forces worldwide.

The rise of China’s drone motherships

As we’ve already said, no bona fide drone-only carrier ships are officially operating. However, the closest may have been launched by China in May 2022. At that time, it was reported that China had developed what might be the world’s first drone mothership.

Called the Zhu Hai Yun, this specially designed ship is reportedly intended to deploy and recover various UAVs, unmanned surface vessels (USVs), and underwater drones. It has also been reported that this ship has various autonomous capabilities.

This means it can operate without a crew for a limited time, relying on artificial intelligence to manage its onboard systems and coordinate drone operations. While allegedly only intended as a civilian or scientific vessel, many military analysts have pointed out that providing support or intelligence for the PLA wouldn’t be out of the question.

Whatever the case with the Zhu Hai Yun, China will reportedly launch its first military “drone carrier” soon. Called the Type 076, this new ship’s flight deck measures 853 feet (260 meters) by 171 feet (52 meters) and covers an area of over 44,291 square feet (13,500 square meters).

An unknown quantity

Limited information is available about this new class of ships. However, in mid-2020, official requests for proposals (RFPs) related to Type 076 were found online. The specifications from the RFPs called for 21 MW gas turbine and diesel powerplants, a medium-voltage direct current integrated power system, and a well deck (a facility at sea level to launch and recover things like hovercraft).

The specified aviation equipment included a “UAV deck,” a munition elevator, a 30-ton flight deck elevator, and an electromagnetic (EMALS) catapult system for light aircraft, most likely unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). However, given the proposed powerplant (EMALS need a lot of juice) for the ship, this is likely highly dubious (the USS Ford is, after all, nuclear-powered).

Chinese drones for Chinese drone ships

This new ship, currently under construction at Changxing Island Shipbuilding Base in China, will also be the largest amphibious assault ship in the world. If the reported dimensions are correct, she would be significantly larger than the U.S. America-class LHA and the Japanese Izumo-class helicopter carriers (CVHM/DDH).

Like other amphibious assault ships, the Type 076 can carry various aircraft, drones, and amphibious landing craft. However, unlike its Type 075 predecessor, this new class will be a mixed conventional and drone carrier rather than a drone-only carrier.

This news was shortly followed by the unveiling of China’s latest PD-2900 kamikaze drones. Ostensibly the same as Iran’s homebrewed Shaheed-136 drones, these new twin-engine large flying-wing drones can fly for 12 hours, covering a range of up to 1,553 miles (2,500 kilometers) at a top speed of 155 mph (250 kph).

Large kamikaze UAVs like this have become a cost-effective substitute for cruise missiles due to the widespread availability of components and platforms in the civilian market. The drone also has an optional catapult (ring a bell?) or rocket-assisted takeoff.

Given the timing of both news releases, it begs the question of whether these new drones will be included in at least some of Type 076’s airborne complement. However, like the United States, China has also developed a range of other military UAVs, including American drone copycats like the Wing Loong series and allegedly stealth-capable WZ-8.

That said, the new Type 076 will likely come equipped with the capability to operate helicopters and smaller UCAVs. The Hongdu GJ-11 and Flying Dragon-2 UCAVs are the most likely candidates.

Drone carrier elevator pitch

So what does this mean for the balance of naval power in the South China Sea and beyond? Well, for China, these vessels offer a solution to some of the limitations of its traditional naval forces.

And its navy needs it. While the Chinese navy is the largest on paper, its current capabilities pale compared to those of the United States Navy. It does have some blue-water capable ships, but most of its assets are designed primarily to project force close to the Chinese mainland.

Drone carriers could help mix things up for the PLA. Unlike manned aircraft carriers, which are expensive to build and maintain, drone carriers are relatively low-cost and can be produced in larger numbers.

This allows China to expand its naval presence without overly taxing its resources. By contrast, the US Navy heavily depends on aircraft carriers and manned aircraft for projecting power. However, these assets are costly to make, maintain, and deploy and could be susceptible to drone swarm attacks.

China could overpower American defenses and negate its superiority in air and sea capabilities by utilizing a large fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and unmanned surface vessels (USVs) from drone carriers. In fact, Chinese planners have gamed out just this kind of strategy many times.

This may play a major role in various points of contention in the region, like China’s plans to invade Taiwan. Could vessels like Type 076 play a significant role?

Should the US be losing sleep?

In short, probably not. Despite their potential, drone carrier ships face challenges. For example, integrating autonomous systems into naval operations is still in its infancy, and significant technical and operational hurdles must be overcome.

Tactically speaking, large combined drone operations have not been used in anger at sea. For example, coordinating multiple drones in complex environments, such as near shorelines or congested sea lanes, requires advanced algorithms and reliable communication links.

Any failure in these systems could result in the loss of valuable assets or even unintended escalations in tense situations.

The U.S. Navy also has its complement of drone and anti-drone technologies that could be employed to counter any Chinese attacks. The drone carriers are large floating chunks of metal that can be removed using more conventional arms and submarines.

With the United States Navy’s clear technological advantage over most Chinese naval assets, even drone carriers would only be invulnerable to destruction after their drones could get into action.

That being said, in the coming years, the global community will need to monitor China’s use of drone carrier ships closely and consider the broader implications for international security. However, as with any technological advancement, the true impact of these vessels will depend on how they are used and the strategies that emerge in response.

But that’s just our two cents. What do you think?