China has launched its first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, Sichuan.
The assault ship launched on Friday is intended to improve the navy’s ability to fight in far-off areas.
Sichuan, China’s largest amphibious assault ship to date, can displace 40,000 tonnes and has cutting-edge technology including an electromagnetic catapult that enables fighter jets to launch straight off its deck, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The vessel is built to provide air support and land troops using landing craft.
It was developed by Chinese experts and includes a “arrestor technology” system that allows fighter jets to land on its deck.
In 2019, China introduced its first amphibious assault ships, the Type 075.
For more than a decade, the Chinese navy has been modernising its forces in order to acquire global operational capabilities rather than remaining confined to waterways near the country’s mainland.
Beijing previously used new electromagnetic technology to deploy fighter jets on its domestically built aircraft carrier, the Fujian, which was launched two years ago.
Song Zhongping, a military analyst, called the Sichuan a “light aircraft carrier,” according to the Chinese Communist Party’s Global Times tabloid. Additional evaluations of the ship, including sea trials, will be conducted.
China, which has the world’s largest navy, is also creating a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that will allow ships to operate in remote regions without the need for refueling stations.
In comparison, the United States presently has 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, allowing it to maintain strike groups around the world, including in the Asia-Pacific region.
