China’s newest Type-076 amphibious assault ship has two strengths and weaknesses, wrote a Taiwanese defense expert, adding that further observations of its capabilities are warranted.
Jiang Hsin-biao (江炘杓), an assistant researcher at the National Defense and Security Research Institute, made the comments in a report recently published by the institute about the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) military and political development.
China christened its new assault ship Sichuan in a ceremony on Dec. 27 last year at Shanghai’s Hudong Shipyard, China’s Xinhua news agency reported.
Photo: EPA-EFE
“The vessel, described as the world’s largest amphibious assault ship by the [US think tank] Center for Strategic and International Studies, brings more air power to China’s navy as the Asian nation confronts flash points in the South China Sea and in the Taiwan Strait,” Bloomberg reported on Dec. 27.
China has continued developing its amphibious landing capabilities since 2017, resulting in the construction of the Type-075 Hainan and its newest ship, the Type-076 Sichuan, Jiang said.
The Sichuan is most known for being equipped with an electromagnetic catapult and three arresting cables, allowing the ship to carry and launch fix-winged planes.
Along with its armed helicopters and drones, this equipment gives the ship more versatility in aerial power projection, Jiang said.
The ship’s ability to serve in multiple roles — anti-air, anti-submarine, ranged strikes on land targets and amphibious landings — serves to enhance the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s maritime power projection, he said.
However, while the electromagnetic catapult and ability to launch fixed-winged aircraft enhances the ship’s anti-access/area denial capabilities, the efficacy of its take-off and landing operations would be affected, as the landing and take-off areas overlap, the report said.
The assisted landing and arresting systems are still subpar compared with those on aircraft carriers, the report added.
China is building up its navy’s amphibious combat capabilities and attempting to create a combat system similar to the US’ joint all-domain command and control framework, which aims at enhancing military effectiveness by integrating operations across all domains of warfare.
The Sichuan ship exceeds the Hainan in tonnage and is expected to displace 50,000 tonnes of water when fully equipped, and has 13,000m2 of deck space, the report said.
Powered by twin gas turbines, the ship’s speed would match that of China’s naval carriers, while its twin-island design allows it to help direct the carriers’ aircraft, it said.
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