China builds replica U.S. warship for target practice in desert

China has constructed a replica of a U.S. Arleigh Burke-class destroyer at a missile test range in the remote Xinjiang desert. Satellite images reveal the structure, which analysts believe is intended for testing anti-ship weapons.

The target, located in the Taklamakan Desert, has been present since at least June. This latest replica is part of a pattern of China building models of U.S. warships at desert test sites over the last five years. Previous satellite imagery from 2021 showed targets resembling an aircraft carrier and two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers at the Ruoqiang test site.

The presence of these targets is significant, as the U.S. Seventh Fleet, which patrols the Western Pacific and waters around Taiwan, operates both types of vessels. Debris from missile impacts has also been observed around the replica site, identified as a location for testing anti-ship ballistic missiles.

While building replica targets is a common military practice globally, with reports of the U.S. also constructing models of Chinese air defense systems for weapons testing, China's consistent focus on U.S. naval assets in this manner raises strategic questions.