China yesterday began sea trials of its most advanced amphibious assault ship, a type of vessel that a Taiwanese military official said might pose a greater threat than traditional aircraft carriers.
The Sichuan Type 076 vessel, which set sail from Shanghai’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, combines some of the attributes of an aircraft carrier and earlier amphibious assault ships, with the ability to launch aircraft and landing craft loaded with troops.
It is about half the size of the Fujian, the latest aircraft carrier commissioned by China on Friday last week, with a displacement of about 50,000 tonnes.
Photo: Xinhua via AP
Both ships were indigenously designed and built.
Exact technical specifications have not been released, but amphibious assault ships could be faster than carriers, which gives them more operational flexibility, but they are more lightly protected against attack and cannot carry as many or as broad a range of aircraft.
Amphibious assault ships would be critical for an invasion of Taiwan, although Taiwan is also bristling with missile defense systems that could make any attempt costly.
The Sichuan is roughly similar to the US Navy’s America-class and Wasp-class amphibious assault ships.
However, it is equipped with the same modern electromagnetic catapult system that has been successfully tested on the Fujian carrier, while the US ships lack such launch systems and instead can only operate helicopters, and short or vertical take-off and landing planes.
Official Chinese media reported that the catapult system would allow the Sichuan to launch fixed-wing aircraft, but it was not yet clear whether it would be limited to drones or whether it could launch crewed fixed-wing aircraft like fighter jets.
That would likely become known during the later stages of the sea trials as the Sichuan’s capabilities are tested.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Taiwanese military source yesterday said that the Type 076 ships were more of a threat to Taiwan than traditional aircraft carriers.
As the new ship is capable of carrying fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, as well as drone hives, it could launch attacks from the air while attempting to land troops, they said.
To counter such threats, Taiwan should continue to develop and strengthen its asymmetrical combat capabilities while developing and deploying anti-ship missiles of increased range, the source said, citing the extended-range version of the Hsiung Feng III (雄風三) missiles as an example.
Taiwanese drones should have strike and reconnaissance capabilities built in, and should be able to work in conjunction with the air force and the navy, the source said.
Land-based mobile long-range strike capabilities must be developed and drilled so that such units can carry out joint force operations to deter enemy landings, the source said.
The military should mass-produce Chin Feng (勁蜂) drones developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology to conduct strikes against enemy surface ships and create opportunities for anti-surface missiles to penetrate enemy defenses, they added.
Institute for National Defense and Security Research assistant research fellow Jiang Hsin-biao (江炘杓) said that the Type 076, despite being the core element of China’s “new quality fighting force,” has its weaknesses.
As long as the Taiwanese military can target such weaknesses, it should not be any more challenging to handle than other ships, he said, adding that the flight and landing efficiency of the Type 076 was very low, and its landing support systems were hard-pressed to guarantee safe landings.
China has not said how long the Sichuan sea trials are to last.
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