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China has launched the first of its new line of amphibious assault ships and its largest warship yet, strengthening what is already the largest navy in the world.
The Sichuan, a new-generation Type 076 amphibious assault ship, was put into the water at a launching and naming ceremony on Friday.
With a fully loaded displacement of 40,000 tons, the warship is among the largest amphibious assault ships in the world, with a double-island superstructure and a full-length flight deck, the People’s Liberation Army Navy said. (PLAN) in a statement.
A launching ceremony is held to unveil China’s first Type 076 new-generation amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of Shanghai-based China State Shipbuilding Corp, on December 27, 2024, in Shanghai, China. (Pu Haiyang/VCG via Getty Images)
China Bugle, a news outlet associated with the PLAN news media center, reported that the ship will play a key role in the transformation and development. the chinese navy and improve its combat capabilities in distant seas.
The Sichuan is capable of launching unmanned fighter jets and drones from an electromagnetic catapult. It is designed to transport ground troops in landing craft with air support.
The new independently developed ship, named after southwest China’s Sichuan province, was put into the water at a launching and naming ceremony. (Pu Haiyang/VCG via Getty Images)
The ship also features “arrest technology” that Chinese researchers presume will allow fighter jets to land on its deck, similar to an aircraft carrier.
China launched its first amphibious assault ship, an 075-class warship called Hainan, in 2019.
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Chinese military officers celebrate at the Sichuan launching ceremony. (Pu Haiyang/VCG via Getty Images)
The PLANmi has been working on modernizing its forces for more than a decade, with the goal of being able to operate globally rather than being limited to waters near mainland China. China managed for the first time to launch combat aircraft with the new electromagnetic technology on its self-made aircraft carrier, the Fujian, which was launched two years ago.
The Sichuan will now undergo additional sea trials.
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China has the largest marina in the world and is constantly trying to improve its fleet. Recently, researchers discovered that the country is working on the design of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which would allow it to deploy its ships in distant waters without needing a base to refuel.
The US Navy currently has 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers deployed in strategic locations globally, including the Asia-Pacific region.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
