China has built a full-scale replica of a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer at its Ruoqiang Test Range in Xinjiang, according to recent satellite imagery that analysts say points to continued efforts by Beijing to strengthen its anti-ship missile capabilities.
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The imagery also showed a 6-metre-wide rail system with a ship-sized target mounted on it. Defence analysts cited by Reuters said the setup could simulate a moving maritime target for missile seeking, target acquisition and weapons testing.
According to the US Naval Institute, the test complex has been used for ballistic missile testing.
"The mockups of several probable US warships, along with other warships (mounted on rails and mobile), could simulate targets related to seeking/target acquisition testing," an AllSource Analysis summary said.
"This, and the extensive detail of the mockups, including the placement of multiple sensors on and around the vessel targets, suggests that this area is intended for multiple uses over time," it added.
The replica is reportedly being used for missile target practice and training and is seen as part of China's broader push to improve its ability to target hostile naval forces in the event of a future conflict.
According to Newsweek, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer is one of the US Navy's principal surface combatants. The warships escort aircraft carrier strike groups, provide air defence and are capable of carrying out long-range missile strikes.
Also read: China builds mockups of US navy ships in area used for missile target practice
The development comes amid continued strategic competition between China and the United States, particularly over Taiwan and the South China Sea.
Similar mock-ups have been observed before. In 2021, Reuters reported that satellite images from Maxar showed China had built full-scale outlines of a US aircraft carrier and at least two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers at a target range in the Taklamakan Desert in Xinjiang, where they were believed to be used as training targets for anti-ship ballistic missile tests.
China's anti-ship missile programme is overseen by the People's Liberation Army Rocket Force. According to the Pentagon's annual report on China's military, the force conducted its first confirmed live-fire launch of DF-21 anti-ship ballistic missiles into the South China Sea in 2020. Beijing has not publicly commented on the latest satellite imagery.
