China unveils amphibious assault ship that can launch fighter jets

BANGKOK — China launched a new amphibious assault ship Friday, capable of launching fighter jets and designed to strengthen the navy’s combat ability in distant seas.

The Sichuan, the first ship of the Type 076, is China’s largest such ship yet, displacing 40,000 tons and equipped with an electromagnetic catapult that will allow fighter jets to launch directly off its deck, according to the official Xinhua news agency.

The ship is designed to launch ground troops in landing crafts and provide them with air support.

Developed by Chinese researchers, it’s also equipped with an “arrestor technology” that allows fighter jets to land on its deck.

China’s first amphibious assault ships, the Type 075, launched in 2019.

China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN, has been working on modernizing its forces for more than a decade, with the aim of being able to operate globally rather than being restricted to waters near the Chinese mainland. China first managed to launch fighter jets with the new electromagnetic technology on its indigenously made aircraft carrier , the Fujian, which launched two years ago.

Chinese military expert Song Zhongping compared the Sichuan to a “light aircraft carrier,” according to the Global Times.

The ship will undergo further testing, including sea trials.

China has the largest navy in the world and is consistently trying to upgrade its fleet. Recently, researchers found that the country is working on designing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier , which would allow it to deploy its ships in distant waters without needing a base to refuel.

The U.S. currently has 11 aircraft carriers, all nuclear powered, allowing it to keep multiple strike groups deployed around the world at all times, including in the Asia-Pacific.

AP researcher Yu Bing contributed to this report from Beijing.

曼谷——中国周五下水了一艘新型两栖攻击舰，该舰能够起飞战斗机，旨在加强海军在远海的作战能力。

据官方新华社报道，四川号是076型护卫舰的首舰，也是中国迄今为止最大的同类型舰艇，排水量达4万吨，并配备了电磁弹射器，可使战斗机直接从其甲板上起飞。

该舰的设计目的是投放地面部队的登陆艇，并为其提供空中支援。

该舰由中国研究人员研制，还配备了“阻拦技术”，使战斗机能够在舰体甲板上降落。

中国首艘两栖攻击舰075型于2019年下水。

中国人民解放军海军（简称“海军”）十多年来一直致力于海军现代化建设，目标是使其能够在全球范围内作战，而不再局限于中国大陆附近海域。两年前，中国在其自主建造的“福建”号航空母舰上首次成功部署了采用新型电磁技术的战斗机。

据《环球时报》报道，中国军事专家宋忠平将四川战列舰比作“轻型航空母舰”。

该船将接受进一步测试，包括海上试验。

中国拥有世界上规模最大的海军，并不断致力于提升舰队实力。近期，研究人员发现中国正在研发核动力航空母舰，这将使其舰艇无需基地补给即可部署到远海海域。

美国目前拥有 11 艘航空母舰，全部为核动力航母，使其能够随时在世界各地（包括亚太地区）部署多个打击群。

美联社研究员余冰从北京对此报道亦有贡献。