WeaponSpecs
Warship China flagChina

China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC)

Type 002 Shandong

China's first domestically built aircraft carrier, a refined and enlarged derivative of the ski-jump Liaoning (itself a modernized Soviet Kuznetsov-class hull) with improved hangar capacity and island design for J-15 fighter operations.

In service since 2019 · 1 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

66,000

t

31

kn

2,600

crew

Several performance figures for China-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Chinese state channel

State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.

Channel: State export agency

Fielded & proven

Limited · 1 operator

In service since 2019. Status: active · ~1 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament

Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.

Close-in weapon systems and short-range air-defense missiles

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length

Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.

305 m

Naval

Displacement, speed, endurance and diving depth.

Displacement

Standard displacement in tonnes — the ship’s size class. Larger hulls carry more but cost more and are less agile.

66,000 t
Full-load displacement

Displacement fully loaded with fuel, stores and munitions.

70,000 t
Max speed

Top speed in knots (surfaced, for submarines). Higher aids positioning and screening.

31 kn
Stronger than 88% of warships
Complement

Crew size. Fewer eases manning cost; more may indicate a larger, more capable platform.

2600
Aircraft carried

Embarked aircraft/helicopters. Higher extends the ship’s sensor and strike reach.

44
Top 8% of warships
Propulsion plant

Machinery type — nuclear reactor, gas turbine (COGAG), CODAG, diesel-electric, AIP.

Conventional steam turbine

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Radar

Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.

Type 346A AESA radar
Sensors

IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.

integrated mast sensor suite

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built

Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.

1
Stronger than 15% of warships
Operator countries

Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.

1
Stronger than 45% of warships

Specifications compiled from public China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the main armament of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 002 Shandong? +

The China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 002 Shandong's primary weapon is the Close-in weapon systems and short-range air-defense missiles.

What is the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 002 Shandong used for? +

The China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 002 Shandong is a warship typically used for air superiority.

How many countries operate the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 002 Shandong? +

The China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 002 Shandong is operated by 1 countries.

How much does the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 002 Shandong cost? +

China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 002 Shandong: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.

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