Why has China made an exact replica of US warship in the middle of Taklamakan desert?

China has built a full-scale replica of a US Navy destroyer in the middle of the Taklamakan Desert to test a kill chain - whether surveillance, tracking, and strike systems can operate together to attack a US naval platform equipped with advanced sensors and defensive capabilities. Satellite images shared by US company Vantor show a model resembling an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer in Xinjiang. Joseph Wu, co-founder of the Taiwan Defense Studies Initiative, was the first to identify the replica, according to a Bloomberg report from June 2026.

The replica has the exact dimensions as the actual warship. Such mock-ups of naval vessels have been created previously as well, but were limited to just the outline. But they have moved further, adding radar-related features and launch-position markings. Chinese analysts argue that this is important since modern vessels have advanced sensors, electronic warfare capabilities, and layered defences. Compared to the larger aircraft carrier replicas China made before, a destroyer is challenging since it is smaller in size and has different mobility, along with advanced defensive systems.

Features of US warship replica

The track system allows China to simulate a vessel on the move at sea and see how they fare against it. It goes beyond just movement, with some reports suggesting that it also has radar-reflective and electromagnetic features to replicate the exact conditions at sea, allowing for a near-real environment to test missile seekers and targeting systems.

Choosing an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer shows the extent of tests China is undertaking. The vessel is a particularly tough target because it provides air and missile defence as well as anti-submarine warfare capabilities, making it a crucial part of the US Navy’s carrier strike groups. The aim is not to destroy the warship, but to reduce its ability by disabling the SPY radar, vertical launch systems, or fire-control capabilities. The replica provides an opportunity to practise reconnaissance and tracking.