China has started sea trials for its first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, Sichuan (Hull 51), after the vessel departed Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard on the morning of 14 November to begin navigation testing, according to the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.
In its statement, the ministry said that “at about 9 a.m. on November 14, 2025, China’s first new generation amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan (Hull 51), set sail… to carry out its first navigation test mission.”
It added that “this sea trial will mainly test and verify the reliability and stability of the power, electrical and other systems of the amphibious assault ship Sichuan.”
The ministry also stated that construction has progressed on schedule since the ship’s launch in December 2024, noting that “it has successfully completed mooring tests and equipment installation and debugging, and has met the technical conditions for sea trials.”
According to the organisation, Sichuan has a “full load displacement of over 40,000 tonnes” and features a dual island superstructure with a full length flight deck. The release highlighted that the ship incorporates “electromagnetic catapult and arrestor technologies, enabling it to carry fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, and amphibious equipment.”
Open source assessments describe the Type 076 as larger than the Type 075 class and configured to operate helicopters, unmanned combat aircraft and landing craft.
Wait til they cotton on to our amazing strategy of banning the majority from applying for military service, and scrapping ships and planes without replacement. Then the world will really sit up and take notice!
I much prefer the Chinese strategy of having a shed load of money. We can be pretty sure they have a shed load of money because we’re some of the ones giving it to them.
Hard to understand what we think we are doing defence wise ATM.
We may have made fun of Germany but they are now massively outspending us in a very focussed area.
We on the other hand are continuing to spend over a huge spectrum of activity and capability, on a joke budget, with it so thinly spread that we cannot afford the basics.
There is a good article on TWZ about this boat, erm ship thingy. Apologies to fisheads and fishead fanboys.
“bite me”.
You forgot that bit ! 😁
🙂 They do it without invite now matey….I just love experts…
Something like these should become our Multi Role Strike Ships. As they will cost more than a RFA standard ship we could build four instead of six to offset costs.
With the RM only interested in raiding and hand held Drones being the Bees Knees judging by various RM promotional videos, why?
Sure, they will need Helicopters, but there’s more chance of a new Ice Age than this government ordering more Merlin for the CHF or more Chinooks beyond the 14 ER ones. So something smaller that can double as a presence Frigate seems more appropriate now?
Any Comany sized Aviation lift from a flat top, HMT will jist say you have the QEs.
I don’t think we’ll get armed LPDs either, we shouldn’t be trying to cram both into a design, but we are because we’re dead broke and won’t get any more escorts.
Don’t know about anyone else but my take away from this is though they don’t mention it I bet the Sichuan has a damn good restaurant onboard.