China’s first amphibious assault ship was launched in Shanghai on Sept. 25, coming closer to the completion of its construction project. The ship Type 075 amphibious assault ship is 250 meters long and 30 meters wide, with an estimated displacement of 40,000 tons. Aso defined as a type of landing helicopter dock is comparable to the US’ Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, which has a displacement of 40,500 tons. It will have a strong capability to carry out amphibious combat and other tasks.
The ship is being built at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, a major shipbuilder under China State Shipbuilding Corp. Participants at the ceremony – officials from the central and Shanghai governments, officers from the Central Military Commission’s Equipment Development Department and the PLA Navy, executives of the State-owned conglomerate China State Shipbuilding Corp as well as the vessel’s designers and construction workers – applauded as they watched the launch process, the statement said, without providing more details about the event.
According to the Navy, the new ship, whose name remains unknown as the Chinese military usually makes public a warship’s name at its commissioning ceremony, was domestically developed and constructed. The People’s Liberation Army Navy added that in the next phase, engineers will start outfitting and fine-tuning the vessel’s equipment and then conduct mooring tests and sea trials. The immense design, construction and cost make it the second most complex warship built by China, only second to the country’s aircraft carrier. Only a few countries in the world can make amphibious assault ships, such as France and Japan, while only China and the US can make ships as powerful as the Type 075.
