China builds US destroyer replica for missile testing

China has constructed a full-scale, three-dimensional replica of a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer at a remote missile testing range in the Taklamakan Desert, according to satellite imagery analyzed in recent weeks. The mock-up, located at the Ruoqiang Test Range in the Xinjiang region, was first identified by Taiwan-based researcher Joseph Wu and has been visible in satellite photographs since at least May 2026.

Analysts assess the structure is intended for target practice, likely to support the testing and refinement of China's precision-guided anti-ship weaponry, such as ballistic missiles. Debris visible around the replica in the imagery suggests the site has already been used for live-fire tests. The destroyer model is the latest in a series of U.S. military asset replicas built at the desert complex; similar mock-ups of U.S. destroyers and an aircraft carrier were reported at the site in 2021.

The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is a mainstay of the U.S. Seventh Fleet, which operates extensively in the Western Pacific and the waters around Taiwan. Military experts say the replica allows China to practice target acquisition and improve missile guidance...