Edge Rewrite
everything Source code View original
// HTMLRewriter · presentation

This page was redesigned at the edge.

Cloudflare fetched the original article and streamed it through HTMLRewriter to apply an entirely new visual system without rebuilding the source page.

// request.cf · coarse context

A page that knows where it met you.

Only coarse request metadata is shown. This demo does not display or persist visitor IP addresses.

Country
US
Cloudflare location
CMH
Connection
HTTP/2
Language
Not provided

Ray ID: a230da2c4c34cfc3

Jump to content

Type 076 landing helicopter dock

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Type 076)
The launch ceremony of the lead ship Chinese landing helicopter dock Sichuan
Class overview
BuildersHudong-Zhonghua Shipyard
Operators People's Liberation Army Navy
Preceded byType 075 landing helicopter dock
Built2023–present[1]
Completed1
General characteristics
Type
Displacement50,000 t (49,000 long tons) (full load)[2]
Length252.3 m (828 ft) -- 260 m (850 ft) (o/a)[3][4]
Beam45 m (148 ft) -- 52 m (171 ft) (o/a)[3][4]
Installed power
PropulsionIEP
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 × Type 726 Yuyi class LCAC
TroopsOver 1,000 marines[2]
Armament
Aircraft carried
Aviation facilities

The Type 076 landing helicopter dock (NATO reporting name: Yulan-class landing helicopter assault[7]), also known as the Type 076 amphibious assault ship (Chinese: 076型两栖攻击舰) in its native China, is an upcoming class of amphibious assault ship serving the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).[8] Compared to the preceding Type 075, the Type 076 is significantly larger in both displacement and flight deck dimensions.[9]

It features a twin-island design superstructure,[9] a stern well dock,[10] a CATOBAR system of electromagnetic catapult, and arresting gears for operating light fixed-wing aircraft — likely unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV) such as the GJ-21, making it both a landing helicopter dock (LHD) and a drone carrier.[3][11] The Type 076 is the world's first amphibious assault ship and drone carrier designed with an electromagnetic catapult.[12][13]

Development

[edit]

In mid-2020, official request for proposals (RFP) associated with the Type 076 were published by the Chinese military. Specifications from the RFPs were for a 21 MW gas turbine and diesel powerplants, a medium-voltage direct current integrated power system, and a well deck. The specified aviation equipment included a UAV deck, a munition elevator, a 30-ton flight deck elevator, and an electromagnetic CATOBAR system for light aircraft.[6][14]

The lead ship of this class was constructed at Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard since October 2023[1] and was initially expected to be launched in early 2025.[3] In December 2024, the lead ship was launched, with pennant number 51 and name Sichuan.[15][16][17][18] In October 2025, Sichuan tested its carried electromagnetic catapult in port, suggested by video evidence circulated on social media and mariner notices of a no-entry zone in front of the ship.[19][20] In November 2025, Sichuan started sea trials.[21] In December 2025, Sichuan conducted the second sea trials.[22]

Video released by CCTV of Sichuan's launch
video icon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utMO_tFdivU

In January 2026, a mock-up of the navalized GJ-21 stealth drone was spotted on the deck of Type 075. Video evidence showed tugboats moving the ship, indicating subsequent sea trials impending.[23] In February 2026, the ship left the port for sea trials while carrying to the GJ-21 mockup.[24] In April 2026, the lead ship Sichuan joined a naval exercise in the South China Sea to test system capabilities and train personnel.[25]

In July 2026, video footage released by Chinese state media showed the superstructures of the Type 076 lead ship Sichuan had been completed, deck markings had been applied, and arresting cables installed. Janes Information Services expected the delivery date for Sichuan in 2027.[26][27]

Design

[edit]

The Type 076 has a full-length flight deck, an internal hangar, two large aircraft elevators on both sides, and one small elevator at the front deck section.[2][6] The ship is intended to operate naval helicopters, such as the Changhe Z-8, Z-10, Z-18, Harbin Z-9, Z-21, etc.[19] It could also operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), especially capable of supporting fixed wing types,[28] such as WZ-7 and GJ-11.[6] The ship could also accommondate manned fixed-wing aircraft such as the Shenyang J-35 and Xian KJ-600.[2][6][8][22]

Fixed-wing aircraft and UAVs can be launched via an electromagnetic catapult similar in size to the one mounted on the Type 003 aircraft carrier.[2] An arresting gear is fitted on the aft-deck to facilitate the fixed-wing aircraft landing.[29] A floodable well deck is located at its stern, capable of launching amphibious vehicles for landing operations.[10]

The main propulsion of the class appears to employ a gas turbine setup. For this reason, the ship has a "twin-island" superstructure configuration[3][9] that allows one superstructure dedicated to navigation while the other one focusing on flight operations.[10] Multiple air defense and countermeasure systems are mounted around the ship, including three Type 1130 close-in weapon system (CIWS) turrets, three HHQ-10 short-range surface-to-air missile batteries, and four countermeasure launchers loaded with flares, chaff and sonar decoys.[10]

Type 076 is larger than the preceding Type 075 amphibious assault ship.[10] The overall tonnage of the ship was estimated as 50,000 tonnes (49,000 long tons) at full displacement by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.[2] Chinese state media states that the ship has a displacement of "above 40,000 tonnes (39,000 long tons)".[30]

List of ships

[edit]
Pennant numberNameNamesakeBuilderLaunchedCommissionedStatus
51[15] Chinese landing helicopter dock Sichuan[15] / 四川 Province of Sichuan Hudong-Zhonghua,
Shanghai[15]		 27 December 2024[15] 2026 (estimated) Sea trials

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Luck, Alex (14 November 2025). "Chinese Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship 'Sichuan' Starts Sea Trials In Shanghai". Naval News.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 P. Funaiole, Matthew; Hart, Brian; Powers-Riggs, Aidan; S. Bermudez Jr., Joseph (1 August 2024). "China's Massive Next-Generation Amphibious Assault Ship Takes Shape". Center for Strategic and International Studies.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Luck, Alex (17 June 2024). "Chinese Type 076 Amphibious Carrier Takes Shape In Shanghai, Drone Capabilities Emerge". Naval News. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  4. 1 2 陈延伟，王雅文，胡洋，熊言义 (2022). "基于CFD的舰船甲板火灾消防安全评估". 船海工程. 51 (5). Archived from the original on 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  5. 1 2 张宏、胡洋、熊言义、王雅文、王旭阳 (2022). "舰船发电机舱典型火灾场景仿真分析". 舰船工程. 15 (5). Archived from the original on 2023-06-09. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sutton, H. I. (23 July 2020). "Stealth UAVs Could Give China's Type-076 Assault Carrier More Firepower". Forbes. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  7. ↑ United States Navy Office of Naval Intelligence (April 2024). "PLA Navy Identification Guide 2024" (PDF). Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  8. 1 2 Chan, Minnie (27 July 2020). "Chinese shipbuilder planning advanced amphibious assault ship". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 Newdick, Thomas (7 October 2024). "China's Monster Amphibious Assault Ship Has Twin Island Superstructures Optimized For Aviation Ops". The War Zone. Retrieved 17 October 2024.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Trevithick, Joseph (27 December 2024). "China's Monster Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship Seen Like Never Before At Launch Ceremony". The War Zone.
  11. ↑ Axe, David (14 April 2026). "The rise of the drone carrier". Key Aero.
  12. ↑ "China's Type 076 Sichuan is a next-level amphibious assault ship". South China Morning Post. 17 July 2025. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
  13. ↑ Chan, Ryan (14 November 2025). "China's Military Gives Update on Next-Generation Amphibious Assault Ship". Newseek.
  14. ↑ Arthur, Gordon (30 July 2020). "Type 076 apparition emerges from the Chinese mist". Shephard Media.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 "China launches first Type 076 amphibious assault ship". China Military. 27 December 2024.
  16. ↑ Lendon, Brad; Gan, Nectar (27 December 2024). "China launches new amphibious assault ship in a race to rival US military". CNN.
  17. ↑ "China launches new generation assault ship 'Sichuan'". DW. 27 December 2024.
  18. ↑ Xiao, Josh (27 December 2024). "China Launches Largest Amphibious Warship in Show of Naval Power". Bloomberg News.
  19. 1 2 Satam, Parth (26 October 2025). "China's Type 076 LHD Sichuan Believed to Have Tested EMALS Catapult for the First Time". The Aviationist.
  20. ↑ Liu, Zhen (23 October 2025). "Is China's new Type 076 drone carrier starting key catapult test?". South China Morning Post.
  21. ↑ Rising, David (14 November 2025). "Fresh off commissioning new aircraft carrier, China starts sea trials of amphibious assault ship". AP News. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  22. 1 2 Wang, Amber (2 December 2025). "PLA's Type 076 drone carrier on fast track to deployment with apparent second sea trial". South China Morning Post.
  23. ↑ Satam, Parth (31 January 2026). "Mockup of China's GJ-21 Naval UCAV Spotted on Type 076 LHD Sichuan". The Aviationist.
  24. ↑ Wei, Alcott (4 February 2026). "Has China's GJ-21 stealth attack drone joined sea trials for Type 076 Sichuan?". South China Morning Post.
  25. ↑ Dang, Yuanyue (22 April 2026). "PLA's new Type 076 'drone carrier' to take part in South China Sea training drills". South China Morning Post.
  26. ↑ Rahmat, Ridzwan (16 July 2026). "Type 076 footage offers clearest glimpse yet of China's UAV carrier ambitions". Janes.
  27. ↑ "四川舰最新进展：甲板已划线，电弹已就位，阻拦索已安装". Guancha. 5 July 2026. Retrieved 2026-07-07.
  28. ↑ Lariosa, Aaron-Matthew (14 November 2025). "Next-generation Chinese Amphibious Assault Ship Holds First Sea Trial". USNI News.
  29. ↑ Wu, Huizhong (27 December 2024). "China unveils amphibious assault ship that can launch fighter jets". Defense News.
  30. ↑ Hille, Kathrin (27 December 2024). "China launches biggest amphibious assault ship in projection of military power". Financial Times.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Type_076_landing_helicopter_dock&oldid=1366621308"