China's New Amphibious Assault Ships Are Massive

Several photos of China’s Type 075 amphibious assault ship (roughly analogous to the USN’s LHDs) undergoing construction have surfaced online recently. Bridge structure installed on main hull. Launch expected later this year pic.twitter.com/HEAjzWUAqp

— Mike Yeo 杨启铭 (@TheBaseLeg) August 23, 2019

Warzone/The Drive: China's New Amphibious Assault Ship Is A Monster

The vessels will give China a high-end amphibious assault capability that can be used both regionally and far from home.

The development and fielding of China's fixed-wing aircraft carriers grab all the headlines, but another class of ship that is currently under construction also deserves international attention. The Type 075 landing helicopter dock (LHD) will be the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) most powerful amphibious assault ship and will usher in a new era of capabilities for the PLAN. As you can see by the images in this article, this ship is remarkably large. Some think it will displace around 40,000 tons, nearly equaling the displacement of America's own Wasp-class LHD, while others put it a bit lower, between 30,000 and 35,000 tons. Either way, this is an impressive warship that outsizes the vast majority of its international counterparts. These ships—three of which are on order—will become the centerpiece of China's increasingly concerning amphibious force.

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Update #1: China’s Type 075 helicopter ship nears completion, amateur pictures show (SCMP)
Update #2: Photos reveal progress on China’s largest amphibious assault ship (Defense News)

WNU Editor: China wants to build 3 of these amphibious assault ships .... China's 3 Helicopter Carriers Are Here to Stay: Paper Tiger or Super Weapon? (National Interest).