China launched a new amphibious assault ship, capable of launching fighter jets and designed to strengthen the navy\u2019s combat ability in distant seas.<\/p>\n
The Sichuan, the first ship of the Type 076, is China\u2019s largest such ship yet, displacing 40,000 tons and equipped with an electromagnetic catapult that will allow fighter jets to launch directly off its deck, according to the official Xinhua news agency.<\/p>\n
The ship is designed to launch ground troops in landing crafts and provide them with air support.<\/p>\n
Developed by Chinese researchers, it\u2019s also equipped with an \u201carrestor technology\u201d that allows fighter jets to land on its deck.<\/p>\n
China\u2019s first amphibious assault ships, the Type 075, launched in 2019.<\/p>\n
China\u2019s People\u2019s Liberation Army Navy, or PLAN, has been working on modernizing its forces for more than a decade, with the aim of being able to operate globally rather than being restricted to waters near the Chinese mainland. China first managed to launch fighter jets with the new electromagnetic technology on its indigenously made\u00a0aircraft carrier<\/a>, the Fujian, which launched two years ago.<\/p>\n Chinese military expert Song Zhongping compared the Sichuan to a \u201clight aircraft carrier,\u201d according to the Global Times.<\/p>\n The ship will undergo further testing, including sea trials.<\/p>\n