China’s latest amphibious warship is designed to take sea-to-land assaults to the next level – a vessel capable of launching fighters and fixed-wing drones like never before.
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The new-generation Type 076 assault ship will feature an advanced electromagnetic catapult launch system, allowing a wider variety of aircraft to take off more frequently during an amphibious attack.
The flat-top vessel will serve as a fleet command centre that will enable drones, helicopters, fighters and landing craft to approach an adversary’s coast.
Its unprecedented size, launch ability and expected drone transport role will position it as a light, regionally based aircraft carrier that can be deployed to potential flashpoints in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait.
First for an assault ship
The Sichuan, which was first spotted on satellite images in 2023, was officially launched as the first Type 076 ship in December with the hull number 51.
The vessel is undergoing equipment tests, mooring and sea trials, and is expected to be commissioned by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) by the end of 2026.
The warship is an upgrade over China’s first amphibious assault ship – the Type 075 – which was launched in 2019 and went into service 19 months later.
The most notable advances are the electromagnetic catapult and arresting gears, which are similar to what was installed on China’s first-ever catapult-equipped aircraft carrier, the Fujian.