China's Type 076 Amphibious Assault and UAV Strike Carrier

China has been working on building out its navy at a furious pace. The pace is /so/ fevered, the Chinese navy is now bigger than the US Navy. These include new aircraft carriers (3rd one being built), large destroyers/cruisers (Type 055), subs and especially its Gator Navy[2].

The Chinese have been building out their amphibious assault ships in a pattern similar to the US Navy/USMC. The 25k ton Type 071 LPD is similar to the San Antonio class. The Type 075 is an amphibious assault carrier of which three are under construction and the first is conducting its sea trials. These are similar to the America and Wasp class LHDs. However, one of the short comings of the gator fleet would be the lack of anything like the F-35B VSTOL.

The F-35B VSTOL fighter gives the USN the ability to pack a hefty strike capability onto its marine ships. It even allows for the USMC to operate off of poor runways when the need arises when fighting in something like an island hopping campaign. This gives air support to the marines whether from land or sea. It also allows the America and Wasp class ships to act as light carriers rather than amphibs giving the US Navy (and marines) more flexibility than can be matched by the Chinese.

The Chinese have been rumored to be working on a VSTOL for a long time. However, no known aircraft have surfaced. The Chinese may have been trying to acquire secrets about the F-35B and an engineer was arrested for trying to sell information[3]. VSTOL is hard and given the relative lack of experience China's aerospace industry has, it's no surprise they have been unable, as far as we can tell, to develop a functional VSTOL fighter. This does mean China's gator navy has a capability gap with the US Navy they would wish to fill.

That's where the Type 076 comes in.

This last spring through summer, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) posted a solicitation[4] for the construction of a new class of amphibious ships. The design was to be an Land Ship Dock with a few twists to it. The first was it was going to require a significantly larger airwing than the current Type 075. The second was were to be EMALS catapults (the same technology replacing the steam cats on the Ford class CVN in the USN and rumored to be on the 3rd Chinese aircraft carrier) and similar arresting equipment on the Ford as well. Third, it may have TWO flight decks, but mention of an angled flight deck like modern fleet carriers. And, finally, the Type 076 is going to focus on unmanned aerial vehicles rather than manned aircraft for its strike air wing.

However, it should be noted the solicitation was somewhat careful in stating what would be included and obfuscated a lot while still laying out a lot of specifications at the same time. As a result, there are significant rumors about what else will be included[5,6]. or not.

However, a strike UAV assault carrier would be a huge boon for the Chinese. UAVs can have much longer ranges than the F-35B and still be smaller. With the oncoming Loyal Wingman style aircraft, autonomy or at least semi autonomy is very much a realistic capability within the next decade, the horizon for the Type 076 entering service. China also has several strike UAVs under development, including the GJ-11 Sharp Sword[7] and the infamous Dark Sword[8]. While neither of these seems to a navy aircraft, as far as we can tell, the Chinese are assuredly developing ones for that purpose. After all, they are telling ship builders to prep for them.

It will be a decade before this ship enters service. However, it is very much a concern as China's military rises, the US will need to decide what to do. Will be answer their capabilities? Or will we decide to leave Asia to fend for itself. Time will tell which way the electorate and its representatives in Congress and the administrations to come choose. However, while we analyze, China builds.


1. www.popularmechanics.com...
2. Gator Navy means its amphibious ships for the PLAN's marine corps, folks.
3. www.ft.com...
4. alert5.com...
5. thediplomat.com...
6. eurasiantimes.com...
7. www.defenseworld.net...
8. www.thedrive.com...

Yeah MOABS can be dropped onto surface ships if you set the altitude correctly so yeah massive landing forces on the water is going to be shot at the entire way in with weapons able to vaporize a mile at a time.

We have more than 3 carriers btw.

One bouncing bomb and the 3 gorges dam washes away the ccp