00:22China appears to be rapidly building up its own version of America's famous Area 51.
00:28Satellite images from August 27 show a major expansion underway at the secretive LOP NOR flight test base in Xinjiang.
00:38And the scale of this construction is raising a big question.
00:42What exactly is China preparing to test there?
00:46The remote airbase has been transformed in just a few years.
00:50What was once a relatively basic airstrip has now gained large aircraft hangars,
00:56expanded taxiways, new turning pads and possible fuel storage infrastructure.
01:02And that matters because these changes could dramatically increase the number and type of aircraft the facility can support.
01:10The base already has one of the world's longest runways stretching roughly 16,400 feet.
01:18But the most interesting development is the construction of several enormous new hangars.
01:24Three of them measure approximately 262 by 131 feet.
01:30And a fourth large hangar has also appeared farther south on the apron.
01:35These facilities are large enough to accommodate a wide range of tactical and strategic aircraft.
01:42And this is where the speculation begins.
01:45China has already tested advanced sixth generation fighter designs at LOP NOR, including the J-36 and J-X-DS.
01:55So could the latest expansion be preparing the facility for even larger and more advanced aircraft?
02:02One possibility being discussed is China's H-20 stealth bomber,
02:07a long-range aircraft that is widely expected to become a major part of China's future strategic aviation capabilities.
02:16But it is important to be clear.
02:18There is no confirmation that the H-20 is currently being tested at LOP NOR.
02:24The satellite imagery shows infrastructure.
02:27It does not reveal exactly which aircraft will use it.
02:31What it does show is that China is investing heavily in the ability to test sophisticated aircraft far from its
02:39main manufacturing centers.
02:40And there's a bigger strategic picture here.
02:44LOP NOR is located near China's historic nuclear testing grounds.
02:48The wider region has long been associated with some of Beijing's most sensitive military programs.
02:55Now, the airbase itself is evolving into a major flight test center.
03:01New taxiways will allow aircraft to move around the facility more efficiently.
03:05Turning pads can support larger or more complex operations.
03:10And the new hangars provide substantially more space for aircraft development and testing.
03:16So is China building its own Area 51?
03:20In terms of secrecy, remote location, and experimental aircraft, the comparison is certainly striking.
03:27But the bigger story is China's rapidly expanding air power ambitions.
03:33From sixth generation fighters to potential stealth bombers,
03:37Beijing is working towards a longer range and more technologically advanced military aviation capability.
03:44And the latest construction at LOP NOR may be one of the clearest visible signs yet of that transformation.
03:51insignes of China as blindfolded air power, theüm後.aros
