Part 8/10:
China’s investment in shipbuilding has not only resulted in a larger fleet but has bolstered advancements in military technology as well. The rapid increase in vertical launch systems (VLS) on their surface combatants enables effective and efficient missile launches. These developments carry critical implications for the balance of naval power.
The Jiangnan Shipyard continues to construct both military and commercial vessels concurrently, a logistical advantage that the US Navy will have to reckon with. China has already domestically designed and built two aircraft carriers, with aspirations that include a third, powered by nuclear propulsion.