How building fake aircraft carriers and destroyers in the desert could be helping China better threaten the US Navy

• China has long built mock-ups US warships in the desert, likely to serve as targets. 
• New images show an apparent USS Gerald R. Ford mock-up, indicating China is watching the Navy's newest carrier.
• The mock-ups could help China develop its bolstering missile force, but they also send a distinct message to the US.

Out in the Taklamakan Desert in northwestern China, there are fake US warships sitting in the sand. These ships are widely believed to be targets.

These mock-ups would be very practical in this context, helping China develop and refine its missiles, a key part of China's defense strategy. China has previously conducted missile testing out in the desert.