China's next carrier at Dalian shows longer hull, signaling blue-water ambitions

Satellite imagery from September 4 shows construction of a new Chinese aircraft carrier at Dalian Shipyard, with a bulbous bow indicating a hull potentially longer than the US Navy's largest carrier. This suggests Beijing is expanding its carrier fleet for extended blue-water operations, though propulsion and capabilities remain unconfirmed. The development signals a continued shift in China's naval force posture toward power projection beyond the Western Pacific.