In addition to the ambitious aircraft carrier programme for the surface combatants, the Chinese navy is also consistently expanding its amphibious potential: The six amphibious assault ships of the Type 071 Yuzhao class with a length of 210 metres and 20,000 tonnes (similar to American LPDs of the San Antonio class) and the four Type 075 Yushen-class medium helicopter landing ships with a length/width of 232/38 metres and a displacement of 36,000 tonnes are well known.Recently, an even larger ship was identified under construction on the Changxing shipyard island off Shanghai, 263 metres long and 46 metres wide - i.e. 50 metres shorter and half as wide as the new aircraft carrier "Fujian" (see The War Zone compilation)!
UAV GJ-11, photo: chinamil.com.cn
This new landing carrier is listed as the Type 076 Yulan class and is therefore roughly equivalent to the American America-class LHA, but 10 metres wider, and will therefore possibly be the largest landing ship in the world. It is not known whether the Type 076 has a corrugated deck that can be used to deploy hovercraft and armoured amphibious assault forces, like the smaller Type 075. Assuming electromagnetic catapults (EMALS) on the flight deck, this carrier would be ideally suited for operating heavy drones, especially as EMALS can be controlled in a more differentiated manner than conventional steam catapults. It is therefore more likely to have a task profile that could support the entire range of military naval operations through large-scale drone deployment.
Mock-ups GJ-11, Photo: Screenshot Airbus
This is indicated by mock-ups of the GJ-11 drones (Sharp Sword), which were spotted not far from the shipyard on an area similar in size to the flight deck of a carrier. When it comes to flight deck operations with new operational equipment such as drones, the same applies: the proof of the pudding is in the eating!
The latest images on social media show the shell - contrary to the first published graphics - now with two superimposed western-style islands with one tower for the ship's command and a second for air operations.
A 20-minute explanatory video from Eurasia Naval is available here:
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