China’s massive new assault ship

By Matthew P. Funaiole*

The Chinese defense industrial base continues to churn out ever larger and more capable warships at a stunning pace. New satellite imagery of China’s sprawling Changxing Island Shipbuilding Base shows rapid progress on the construction of the first Yulan-class landing helicopter assault (LHA) ship. Dubbed the Type 076, the vessel represents a substantial step forward in the ability of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to project power farther from China’s shores. (The Center for International Maritime Safety.)

Once completed, the Type 076 will be the world’s largest amphibious assault ship. Satellite imagery from July 4, 2024, shows that its flight deck spans approximately 260 meters by 52 meters, which is over 13,500 square meters (m2)—nearly the area of three U.S. football fields. That is considerably larger than the U.S. America-class LHA and Japanese Izumo-class helicopter carriers (CVHM/DDH). The Type 076 will also be much larger than its Chinese predecessor, the Type 075.

Like other amphibious assault ships, the Type 076 will be capable of carrying dozens of aircraft and drones, amphibious landing craft, and a complement of over 1,000 marines. Yet the vessel’s larger size gives it even greater capacity to carry more aircraft within its internal hangar and provides additional space for launching aircraft on its expansive flight deck.

Size is only one of the Type 076’s advantages. The vessel will feature significant technological upgrades that place it in a class above its peers. Most notably, it will boast a catapult for launching fixed-wing aircraft, making it unique among all other amphibious assault ships. Historically, only “flat top” aircraft carriers have been outfitted with catapults, while amphibious assault ships have only been able to launch helicopters and vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft such as the F-35B. China has not yet fielded manned aircraft with V/STOL capabilities.

The Type 076’s catapult will likely be similar to the electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) pioneered by the U.S. Ford-class aircraft carriers. EMALS is an advanced technology that only the United States and China have successfully deployed. It provides more power than the traditional steam-powered catapults installed on older classes of carriers, allowing for larger aircraft with heavier payloads to be launched.

China outfitted its third aircraft carrier, the Type 003 Fujian, with three EMALS-style catapults, and the expected installation of a similar catapult on the Type 076 suggests that China has confidence in the design. At present, the Type 076’s catapult trench is nearly 130 meters long, which is significantly longer than the 108-meter catapults seen on the Fujian carrier. However, more time is needed before the exact length and capabilities of the Type 076’s catapult can be determined.Satellite imagery also shows that the Type 076 will have an aircraft elevator on each side of the vessel for lifting aircraft from the internal hangar to the flight deck. This new configuration is better optimized for aircraft takeoffs and landings compared to the Type 075’s design, which has one larger aft elevator and a smaller internal forward elevator that obstruct the flight deck when in use.

These and other features open the door for the Type 076 to launch fixed-wing aircraft, which generally have greater range, speed, and payload capacity than helicopters. At a minimum, the ship should be capable of launching fixed-wing unmanned (combat) aerial vehicles (UAVs/UCAVs), which are lighter and easier to launch and land than manned systems.

However, the vessel’s catapult, wider flight deck, and lack of elevators obstructing the runway suggest it may be capable of launching manned aircraft. That would put the Type 076 in a class of its own, somewhere between an LHA-class ship and a full-fledged aircraft carrier. Yet, it would require the PLA to overcome a number of new technical and operational challenges.

Even if it is limited to unmanned systems, the Type 076’s air wing will be highly capable. China boasts an advanced and growing arsenal of UAVs, including the GJ-11 stealth combat drone, the WZ-7 reconnaissance drone, and the CASC Rainbow strike UCAV, among others. Analysts have noted that in 2017, Chinese UAVs were photographed conducting test launches from a catapult test track at a major naval air base near the northern Chinese city of Huludao, suggesting that the PLA is experimenting with ways to adapt them for carrier-based operations.

In satellite imagery of the Changxing Island Shipbuilding Base, what appear to be mock-ups of GJ-11 drones are visible in a testing facility. They are likely there in anticipation of trials on the Type 003 aircraft carrier and potentially for the Type 076 once it is completed.

The ability to bring considerable air power to bear will make the Type 076 a formidable platform at sea, but it is also designed to be capable of amphibious assault. The vessel is expected to feature a floodable well deck on its stern, allowing for launching amphibious vehicles like the Type 726 air-cushion landing craft to conduct “ship-to-shore” operations.

Once operational, the Type 076 will serve as a multifunctional combat platform, capable of conducting air operations, launching amphibious landings, and providing joint command and control for broader amphibious forces.

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. Extrapolating from the construction timeline of China’s Fujian carrier and its Type 075s, the Type 076 could be launched into the water in the first half of 2025. It will then take another several months or even years before the ship is commissioned into China’s navy.