China Launches First Electromagnetic Catapult-Equipped Type 076

CHINA has launched its first next-generation Type 076 Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) on December 27. Taking the namesake of Southwest China’s Sichuan province, the latest amphibious assault ship is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult on a wide flight deck and has a twin island configuration.

The Sichuan is considerably larger than the preceding People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Type 075 LHDs and has a displacement of 40,000 tonnes with a full combat load. With that, the Type 076 is among the largest amphibious assault vessels in the world. Chinese media reports described the Type 076 as a culmination of all elements, incorporating the radars of destroyers and frigates, the electromagnetic catapult from the PLA’s third aircraft carrier Fujian and the Type 075’s amphibious capabilities.

With the launch ceremony taking place at a dry dock on Changxing Island’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, the ship has been under construction since last October by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) subsidiary Hudong-Zhonghua. The shipbuilder has built the previous three Type 075s already in service and is currently working on the fourth. Following its launch, the ship will undergo equipment commissioning, mooring and navigation tests.

In addition to its electromagnetic catapult at the bow, the ship also features arresting gear at the stern for the launch and recovery of fixed-wing manned and unmanned aircraft including fighter aircraft such as the J-15. Furthermore, reports have pointed towards unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) operations from the Sichuan possibly making up a large part of the ship’s aerial fleet.

An August report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) reported that the ship class could operate the GJ-11 stealth UCAV, the WZ-7 reconnaissance drone and CASC Rainbow Strike UCAVs, along with other rotary-wing aircraft and amphibious crafts. The Sichuan has a rear well deck for landing crafts and is said to be capable of embarking over 1,000 PLA marines.-shp/adj/dl (Pix:CHINAMIL)