China Is Building The World’s Largest Amphibious Assault Ship
China is building the world’s largest amphibious assault ship as part of the new Type 076 class (also known in the West as the Yulan class).
Defense experts have analyzed new images showing significant progress, especially the installation of two superstructure islands on the deck at the Changxing Island shipbuilding base near Shanghai.
The superstructures on the two islands are expected to enhance and improve air operations, including the use of larger drones.
The ship’s two-island design is similar to those used on other large warships, such as the British Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers and the Italian amphibious ship HMS Trieste.
One of the islands is primarily used for ship navigation, while the other controls flight operations, allowing the ship to handle more complex air traffic.
According to the photos, the first two island superstructures are installed on the Type 076 LHD/LAH.
This design choice shows China’s increasing focus on improving its maritime air power, including the deployment of drones and other air assets.
The Type 076 will reportedly have a larger open flight deck than a typical amphibious ship. The flight deck area is estimated to be 260 x 52 meters, providing about 13,500 square meters of combat space, significantly more than the America-class amphibious assault ships and Japanese Izumo-class aircraft carriers.
The ship’s capabilities will likely go beyond standard helicopters to include fixed-wing aircraft and drones, possibly using a catapult system.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) believes the Type 076 will also be equipped with an electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), a cutting-edge technology that has only been successfully deployed in the United States and China.
The Type 076 is updated again: According to these new photos, the island’s superstructure is now installed.
The technology will enable the launch of large fixed-wing aircraft and unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs). The ship will likely be equipped with multiple aircraft elevators as well as an advanced catapult system.
Once completed, the Type 076 will be larger than most amphibious assault ships and can carry dozens of helicopters, drones, landing craft, and more than 1,000 Marines, according to CSIS.
A large flight deck and hangar area will allow it to launch and recover aircraft more efficiently than previous models.
Although the Type 076 is still under construction, experts believe it will be ready for its debut in the first half of 2025. However, it may be some time before the ship is fully operational in the PLA Navy fleet.
Once operational, it is expected to significantly enhance China’s power projection capabilities, enabling a wider range of offshore operations.
