In an era of escalating global competition, the United States and China are pouring vast resources into their naval forces, headlined by the development and deployment of massive, technologically advanced aircraft carriers. These vessels, symbols of national power and ambition, are central to both nations' strategies for projecting influence across the world's oceans.

China's naval expansion was recently highlighted by the commissioning of its third and most advanced aircraft carrier, the Fujian, on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, in a ceremony attended by President Xi Jinping. Displacing over 80,000 tonnes, the Fujian is China's first carrier to be fully designed and built domestically and features an advanced electromagnetic catapult system for launching aircraft, a technology previously unique to the latest U.S. carriers. With an estimated cost between £4 billion and £6 billion, the Fujian places China's navy second globally with three carriers, though still significantly behind the U.S. fleet of 11.

The United States, meanwhile, continues to set the standard for naval aviation with its Ford-class supercarriers. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the lead ship of its class, is the world's largest and most expensive warship, with a price tag of approximately $13.3 billion. These 100,000-tonne, nuclear-powered vessels are designed to project American power across the globe, capable of sustaining a higher rate of aircraft sorties than their predecessors.

A Show of Force and Diplomacy

The strategic utility of these colossal warships extends beyond potential combat scenarios. They serve as powerful tools of diplomacy and intimidation. In a notable display of this, former U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford to the Caribbean in late October 2025, a move widely interpreted as a direct message to the Venezuelan regime of Nicolás Maduro. The deployment of America's most formidable warship so close to Venezuelan waters was seen by defense analysts as a significant show of force, intended to pressure the Maduro government.

Similarly, the United Kingdom, with its two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, utilizes them for what can be described as floating diplomacy. HMS Prince of Wales conducted a high-profile visit to Tokyo in August 2025, a stop intended to strengthen ties with regional allies like Japan rather than to intimidate adversaries. This deployment, part of a nine-month mission in the Indo-Pacific, underscores the role of these assets in reinforcing international partnerships.

The Debate Over Vulnerability

Despite the immense investment, the dominance of the aircraft carrier is not uncontested. The conflict in the Black Sea has offered a stark counterpoint, where Ukrainian forces, without a conventional navy, have inflicted significant losses on Russia's fleet using sophisticated sea drones and anti-ship missiles. Reports from early 2024 indicated that Ukraine had sunk or disabled a third of all Russian warships in the Black Sea, raising questions about the survivability of large surface vessels in modern warfare.

China, ironically, has been a pioneer in developing technologies to counter aircraft carriers. It has invested heavily in a formidable arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles (ASBMs), such as the DF-21D and the DF-26, often dubbed "carrier killers." These weapons are designed to hold at-risk the very assets the U.S. relies on for power projection in regions like the South China Sea. This strategy of anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) aims to deter U.S. naval forces from operating close to Chinese shores.

Implications for Kenya and East Africa

While these naval power plays unfold thousands of miles away, they have tangible implications for Kenya and the wider East African region. The security of maritime trade routes in the Indian Ocean is paramount for Kenya's economy. The increased naval presence of global powers, particularly China, in these waters is a significant development. China has already established a naval base in Djibouti and has sent naval escort fleets to the Gulf of Aden to conduct anti-piracy operations.

Kenya maintains strategic defense partnerships with both the United States and China. The U.S. and Kenya have a long-standing security relationship, recently elevated to a strategic partnership, focusing on counterterrorism, maritime security, and military professionalization. In June 2024, the U.S. designated Kenya a major non-NATO ally, paving the way for enhanced military cooperation. At the same time, Kenya and China have been deepening their military ties, with cooperation in training, counterterrorism, and joint exercises. This diplomatic balancing act allows Kenya to benefit from diverse security partnerships.

The rivalry between the U.S. and China, played out through their naval expansions, creates a complex geopolitical landscape. For Kenya, the challenge lies in navigating these dynamics to safeguard its national interests, ensure the stability of vital sea lanes, and leverage its strategic partnerships to enhance its own security capabilities without being drawn into great power rivalries. The continued investment in aircraft carriers by both Washington and Beijing is a clear signal that these symbols of power will remain central to global strategic calculations for the foreseeable future.