China isn’t stopping: its next nuclear aircraft carrier will have hypersonic railguns and lasers. What about the US?

While the West is debating (and cutting funding), China is planning for the future. The news, reported by the South China Morning Post citing Beijing sources, is a serious one: plans for a next-generation nuclear-powered aircraft carrier are underway, and it's not just a simple upgrade. This future " supership " will be capable of deploying weapons that seem straight out of science fiction: high-energy lasers and, above all, hypersonic electromagnetic cannons, the so-called "railguns."

The most interesting point? This is a technology the United States pursued for years, only to then sadly abandon the program. The funding halt was confirmed by an official US Congressional report in 2022, after spending approximately $500 million (according to The National Interest ). Japan, however, has continued with development of the weapon and is considering installing it on its destroyers.

Speaking on Sunday on state television CCTV, Liang Fang , a prominent military commentator, professor at Beijing National Defense University, and a senior captain, addressed China's vision. He confirmed that the future aircraft carrier "can be equipped with more advanced defensive weapons, such as a high-energy laser weapon and an electromagnetic cannon."

What is a Railgun and why is it a “Game Changer”?

Unlike traditional cannons, which use chemistry (gunpowder), a railgun uses pure physics to achieve a terrifying result.

• How it works: It doesn't use gunpowder. Instead, it uses an electric discharge to generate a powerful magnetic field.
• The effect: This field accelerates a conductive projectile along two parallel tracks (the “rails”).
• The result: The projectile is fired at hypersonic speeds, exceeding Mach 5 (five times the speed of sound).
• The advantages: It promises a vastly superior muzzle velocity and range, as well as a low noise level .
• The problem: It requires an excessive amount of electricity.

And that's where nuclear propulsion comes in. A conventionally powered aircraft carrier, like the Fujian (China's third and most advanced aircraft carrier, currently undergoing sea trials), could never power such systems. A nuclear reactor, however, can provide the continuous electrical output needed to power an entire next-generation arsenal.

Rear Admiral Ma's "Supership"

Professor Liang's words echo a visionary plan outlined as early as 2023 by Rear Admiral Ma Weiming , a leading Chinese naval scientist in the electromagnetic technology program.

In one study, Ma described a nuclear "supership" designed to integrate weapons into a single, highly powerful electrical grid. "It will completely subvert the naval combat formations that have existed for over a hundred years," the rear admiral wrote.

In such a warship, the energy system would power not only propulsion and utilities, but an entire electromagnetic arsenal:

• Railguns
• Coil guns
• Rocket launchers (presumably electromagnetic)
• Laser weapons
• High-power microwave devices

The Shattered Dreams of the US Navy

As mentioned, the US Navy saw similar potential. It invested half a billion dollars to develop a hypersonic cannon capable of launching projectiles at speeds exceeding Mach 6.

Then, in 2022, the project was halted. The obstacles proved insurmountable: prohibitive power requirements, but above all, doubts about the "durability of the launch system." Simply put, the rapid and catastrophic erosion of the launch rails after just a few shots made the weapon a logistical nightmare.

China, on the contrary, seems convinced that it can overcome these challenges precisely thanks to nuclear propulsion and advanced electrical systems.

Not just cannons: sixth-generation aircraft

But that's not all. According to Captain Liang, the new aircraft carrier will carry not only futuristic weapons, but also a completely new generation of aircraft.

" Sixth-generation carrier-based aircraft are expected to be deployed on the nuclear aircraft carrier, featuring greater maneuverability, higher flight speed, and enhanced sensory capabilities," she added. Furthermore, Liang concluded that the proportion of carrier-based drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) "will increase significantly."

While a launch date is still far off, the project is a clear statement of intent: China aims to revolutionize naval warfare and challenge, in the long term, US naval dominance in the Indo-Pacific.

Questions and Answers

What exactly is a railgun, and why is it so special? Imagine a cannon that doesn't use gunpowder. A railgun uses a massive electrical discharge to create a magnetic field that fires a metal projectile at hypersonic speeds, over five times the speed of sound. This technology promises a range and destructive power vastly superior to traditional cannons, rendering many defense systems obsolete. It's a true technological leap.

Why did the United States fail to develop this weapon? The US Navy spent over $500 million but discontinued the program in 2022. The problems were enormous: the weapon required a disproportionate amount of energy, which a conventional ship could not provide. Furthermore, the force of the launch itself eroded and destroyed the gun's metal guides after just a few shots, making it a logistical nightmare. In practice, the technology was not yet ready for field use.

Will this new Chinese aircraft carrier really change the naval balance? That's Beijing's goal. A nuclear-powered "supership," capable of powering not only propulsion but also futuristic weapons like railguns and lasers, is a game changer. It could render current naval formations obsolete. If China can overcome the technical challenges where the US has failed, particularly with nuclear power, its ability to project power in the Indo-Pacific will grow exponentially.

The article "China Doesn't Stop": The Next Nuclear Aircraft Carrier Will Have Hypersonic Railguns and Lasers. What About the US? comes from Scenari Economici .

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This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/la-cina-non-si-ferma-la-prossima-portaerei-nucleare-avra-railgun-ipersonici-e-laser-e-gli-usa/ on Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:00:06 +0000.