In addition to intensive training, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is boosting the aerial assault capabilities of its Marine Corps by systematically expanding it with combat-proven former Army units, a timely move to ready personnel in advance to maximize the power of the two recently launched Type 075 amphibious assault ships. The Valiant Assault Exemplary Company and the Nianzhuangwei Assault Exemplary Company are now parts of a Marine Corps aerial assault brigade, according to a story published by PLA Daily on April 13.
China’s second Type 075 amphibious assault ship was launched on Wednesday after the first one was launched in September 2019, and military experts said that aerial assault forces of the Marine Corps are expected to be the core combat forces that use amphibious assault ships. The Type 075 landing helicopter dock (NATO reporting name Yushen-class landing helicopter assault) is a class of Chinese amphibious assault ship under construction by the Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding company.
A second Type 075 is being simultaneously built in the same dry dock as the first Type 075 and is likely that the third planned Type 075 will be built in the same location. The Type 075 class has a full-length flight deck for helicopter operations and features a floodable well deck from which to disembark hovercraft and armored amphibious assault vehicles. In term of size and tonnage, Type 075 class is estimated to be larger than the Australian Canberra class or French Mistral class and second only to the U.S. Navy’s Wasp class and America class on the world stage.
