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China Unveils State-of-the-Art Amphibious Assault Ship Equipped with Aircraft Catapult

December 28, 2024 TruthUSA

China’s new Type 076 class of amphibious assault ship reportedly features an aircraft catapult not seen on other craft.

The Chinese navy unveiled its latest amphibious assault ship on Dec. 27, marking the debut of a new class of warships capable of launching fixed-wing aircraft similar to an aircraft carrier.

Named Sichuan, the new warship is the inaugural vessel of the Chinese navy’s Type 076 class of amphibious assault ships. The Chinese state-owned Xinhua news agency disclosed that the new ship was launched during a ceremony in Shanghai on Dec. 27.

This new warship class is set to undergo a series of equipment tests and sea trials before becoming operational within the Chinese Navy’s regular fleet operations.

With an estimated displacement of around 40,000 tonnes, the new Chinese warship closely matches the size and displacement of the latest U.S. class of amphibious warship, the America-class Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) ship. Unlike the America-class warship, Xinhua noted that the Type 076 warship is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system for launching fixed-wing aircraft.

While amphibious assault ships traditionally serve as motherships for smaller landing craft transporting troops from ship to shore, various amphibious assault ship classes have included deck space for launching and recovering aircraft to support these ship-to-shore operations.

A catapult system is a unique feature not found on other types of amphibious assault ships. Without such an aircraft launch system, LHA-type ships typically have the capability to launch and recover rotary aircraft or fixed-wing aircraft specifically designed for short or vertical take-offs and landings, such as the Harrier or the B-variant of the F-35 Lighting fighter jet.

The inclusion of the catapult system could enable the Type 076 to carry larger fixed-wing aircraft, expanding its air-support capabilities.

In an August report, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) evaluated that the catapult design suggests the Type 076 could potentially launch fixed-wing unmanned aircraft and drones, and possibly manned fixed-wing aircraft.

“The vessel’s catapult, wider flight deck, and lack of elevators obstructing the runway suggest it may be capable of launching manned aircraft,” wrote CSIS authors Matthew P. Funaiole, Brian Hart, Aidan Powers-Riggs, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. “That would put the Type 076 in a class of its own, somewhere between an LHA-class ship and a full-fledged aircraft carrier.”

Even if the Type 076 is limited to carrying unmanned aircraft, the CSIS authors noted that the ship’s air wing “will be highly capable.”

The Type 076 appears to have undergone a rapid development process ahead of its testing.

Xinhua reported that Chinese shipbuilders completed the first Type 075 amphibious assault ship in 2019—the direct predecessor to the Type 076. The initial Type 075 entered active service in April 2021, followed by two more ships in the Type 075 class.

“The exact timeline of the Type 076’s construction is unknown, but even for China’s prolific shipyards, the pace of the ship’s progress has been extraordinary,” CSIS stated in August.

China has been actively expanding its naval force in recent years.

The U.S. Department of Defense reported in a 2020 document that China had officially surpassed the United States in fielding the largest naval force in terms of the number of warships in service. While the United States still has more active aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, China’s naval force continues to increase its numerical advantage over the United States.

As of this year, the DOD assessed that China maintains a battle force fleet with more than 370 ships and submarines. In comparison, the U.S. Navy currently operates an active battle force of 297 ships, according to the Congressional Research Service.

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