Drone swarms and stealth submarines are playing a growing role in modern warfare, yet aircraft carriers remain a symbol of military might.

That can be seen in China’s investment in the warships, as well as other countries including France, Turkey, India and Japan.

China’s naval fleet has been expanding at a rapid pace, with its fourth aircraft carrier fast taking shape, according to the latest satellite images of the shipyard in Dalian in the country’s northeast, where it is being built.

Those images show the bow and stern of the Type 004 carrier – which is expected to be nuclear-powered and have electromagnetic catapults – have already been constructed.

Washington-based think tank the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said the vessel could have four aircraft launch catapults and a third aircraft elevator.

That would allow for faster aircraft launches, bringing it closer to the launching capacity of America’s most advanced aircraft carriers.

Recent conflicts have shown that large surface warships are vulnerable to drones and missiles.

At the height of the Iran war in March, US carriers repositioned themselves further away from the Iranian coast to stay out of the range of hostile missiles.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s drone attacks have severely degraded Russia’s Black Sea Fleet.

Yet many countries continue to pursue aircraft carrier programmes.

Middle power nations including France, Turkey, India, Japan and Indonesia are planning to increase their aircraft carrier fleets, or debating whether to do so.

“[War] is a form of politics and politics involve perception, intimidation, and psychology.

So it’s not crazy that these leaders want to wield these instruments,” said Lyle Goldstein, director of Asia engagement at US-based think tank Defence Priorities.

He said recent conflicts had “convinced all countries that they need to take their defence much more seriously”.

“Both conflicts in the Middle East and Eastern Europe also show the huge importance of these naval waterways, naval passages, and control of those passages, whether it’s the Turkish Straits or the Strait of Hormuz,” Goldstein said.

“So it reminds countries that they’re very....