CNS Sichuan sets sail for South China Sea

CNS Sichuan, China's largest and mightiest amphibious assault ship, has set sail from its shipyard in Shanghai to the South China Sea for testing and training operations, according to the People's Liberation Army Navy.

The PLA Navy stated in a news release late on Tuesday night that engineers plan to check and verify the performance of multiple systems on the colossal ship.

It noted that the Sichuan has completed several sea trials, adding that the latest is a standard cross-sea trial based on the vessel's construction plan and is not directed at any specific target.

Wu Peixin, a military affairs observer, said that the Sichuan is among the world's most advanced amphibious warfare platforms in terms of comprehensive combat capability. The sea trial in the South China Sea is expected to test the stability of key systems in open-ocean conditions, including its propulsion, power supply, electromagnetic catapult, and ship-aircraft coordination systems.

"This long-distance trial will verify the vessel's navigational and operational adaptability in different sea areas, especially in the high-temperature and high-humidity environment of the South China Sea. Moreover, the vast waters of the South China Sea will enable comprehensive validation of the compatibility between the electromagnetic catapult system and large ship-borne drones. This will be a crucial step in demonstrating its functions as a drone carrier," he said.

According to Wu, the trial will also accumulate essential data for Type 076's future joint combat operations with the CNS Fujian carrier strike group and Type 055 destroyers in the South China Sea.

"The Sichuan features formidable three-dimensional amphibious landing and over-the-horizon attack capabilities, and will become an optimal platform to safeguard our interests in the South China Sea," the observer said.

"It demonstrates the PLA Navy's resolve and capability to conduct high-intensity amphibious operations in distant waters, serving as an asymmetric deterrent to potential adversaries."

With a hull code of 51, the Sichuan is the first in the Type 076 class, which is usually categorized as a class of landing helicopter dock in the West. The ship displaces more than 40,000 metric tons of water and will carry fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and amphibious landing craft once it enters service. The vessel is equipped with an electromagnetic launch system, or electromagnetic catapult, which will be used to launch fixed-wing aircraft. This makes the Sichuan the first Chinese amphibious assault ship to have an electromagnetic catapult and be capable of deploying fixed-wing drones. It is also the second Chinese vessel using this world-class technology, following the CNS Fujian aircraft carrier.

Once commissioned, the ship will be able to support a variety of tasks, ranging from amphibious landings to airstrikes and airborne operations.