China Expands Lop Nur Desert Base as PLA Stealth Jets Race the United States

China is rapidly expanding a flight-test facility deep in its western desert, according to satellite imagery, raising the prospect of faster development for its next generation of military aircraft.

The facility near Lop Nur in western China’s Xinjiang region now shows four large new hangars, work on taxiways and a circular pad believed to be used for engine testing or aircraft turnaround. The imagery also indicates possible new fuel-storage infrastructure.

Analysts say the construction could help accelerate the development of China’s next-generation military aircraft as the air-power rivalry between Beijing and Washington intensifies.