China appears to be converting cargo ships into EMALS-equipped drone and missile platforms
January 6, 2026
China’s military modernisation drive is increasingly spilling out of traditional shipyards and onto the decks of ordinary cargo vessels.
Fresh imagery suggests at least one commercial container ship has been transformed into an improvised drone carrier, complete with containerised missile launchers and a modular EMALS-style catapult system.
The concept, if operationalised, could allow China to rapidly convert civilian ships into combat assets at scale.
China converting cargo ships into drone and missile platforms
It seems that the new military revelations from China just keep coming. At the end of December, a Chinese medium-sized cargo ship called the Zhong Da 79, packed full of containerised vertical launchers, was seen in port. The ship has sensors and self-defence systems.
To more very close images showing these new UCAV/CCAs and as it seems, there is even a CH-4 visible for the first time. https://t.co/OuvFvy191S pic.twitter.com/PB1hogiWgJ
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) January 2, 2026
The number of vertical launch cells packed on the ship is impressive. It is around two-thirds the capacity of a US Navy Arleigh Burke-class Flight I or II destroyer.
The War Zone stated, “The message is clear, China is making it known that it could, and likely will, turn ships from its behemoth of a commercial fleet into not just shooters, but arsenal ships.”
The publication also suggested the ship’s intended mission is that of a “picket ship, rather than just an arsenal ship, providing area air defence.”
VLS count estimate for this specific configuration:
— Rick Joe (@RickJoe_PLA) December 25, 2025
– 4x VLS per ISO container
– 4-5x containers abreast
– 3x containers longitudinally placed at full fitout
48-60 VLS onboard total?
These seem like full sized VLS too, could be H/AJK-16, UVLS or something in between. https://t.co/tRjvz6EHod pic.twitter.com/9R1OtLWNis
Now, in early January, the same ship has been seen transformed into a platform for launching combat drones.
Zhong Da 79 now an improvised drone carrier
The cargo ship in question is the container ship Zhong Da 79. Images online show it is now equipped with a modular electromagnetic catapult (EMALS) system. This system is designed to launch next-generation heavy drones, like the Type-X CCA.
Images show at least five Type-X UAVs on the ship. These appear to resemble the US Kratos XQ-58 Valkyrie experimental stealth UCAV built for the US Air Force’s Low Cost Attritable Strike Demonstrator (LCASD) programme.
One image shows a CH-4 (Caihong-4 ) Chinese medium altitude long endurance (MALE) drone similar to the US MQ-9 Predator on the ship. The CH-4 is able to carry guided bombs and missiles and has around 40 hours of endurance.
Separately, the Kratos XQ-58 is set to be the Marine Corps’ first CCA, while Kratos is also working with Taiwan to develop a one-way attack drone based on its MQM-178 Firejet target drone.
Get the latest aerospace defence news here on AGN.
More preparations for a possible Taiwan invasion
While China has been building its Navy at lightning speed, it could still prove vulnerable in the event of an invasion. The US Navy, Taiwan, and Japan have all been taking steps to counter China’s growing list of capabilities. Still, the speed of China’s military transformation is breathtaking.
In 2025, China unveiled many types of new military gear. These included its first flying prototype tiltrotors, many types of unmanned drones, next-generation tailless fighters, and much more. Interestingly, an experimental ekranoplan or ground effect vehicle was spotted.
China commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Type 003 Fuijian, while satellite images showing what is believed to be the early stages of the construction of its next Type 004 carrier have also emerged.
Even so, one glaring area where China’s capabilities appear to be lacking is tanker aircraft. China continues to operate a minuscule number of tankers, which could drastically limit the country’s ability to project air power much beyond its borders.
Latest update on the suspected 004 aircraft carrier likely a few days old!
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) January 1, 2026
(via 00CuriousObserver/SDF) pic.twitter.com/7GeJHTZgJA
Chinese military drills around Taiwan have become commonplace and normalised. The fear is that this could one day mask an actual invasion.
Featured Image: Rupprecht_A/X
