China has started the first of its new line of amphibious assault ships and its largest warship yet, bolstering what is already the world’s largest navy.
The Sichuan, a new-generation Type 076 amphibious assault ship, was launched at a launching and naming ceremony on Friday.
With a full-load displacement of 40,000 tons, the warship is among the largest amphibious assault ships in the world and features a twin-island superstructure and a full-length flight deck, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) said in a statement.
JOE BIDEN POSES WITH HUNTER’S CHINESE BUSINESS PARTNERS IN RESURFACE PHOTOS: ‘UNBELIEVABLE DAMN’
An opening ceremony to unveil China’s first new-generation Type 076 amphibious assault ship, the Sichuan, will be held at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, a Shanghai-based subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp., on December 27, 2024 in Shanghai, China. (Pu Haiyang/VCG via Getty Images)
China Bugle, a news agency affiliated with the PLAN’s news media center, reported that the ship will play a key role in the transformation and development the Chinese navy and improving his combat skills in the distant seas.
The Sichuan is capable of firing fighter jets and unmanned drones using an electromagnetic catapult. It is designed to transport ground troops in landing craft with air support.
TIK TOK SALES COULD BE ‘DEAL OF THE CENTURY’ FOR TRUMP, CHINA COMMITTEE CHAIR SAYS
Named after southwest China’s Sichuan province, the independently developed new ship was launched at a launching and naming ceremony. (Pu Haiyang/VCG via Getty Images)
The ship also features “arrester technology” that Chinese researchers claim will allow fighter jets to land on its deck, similar to an aircraft carrier.
China launched its first amphibious assault ship, a Class 075 warship named Hainan, in 2019.
China warns us to stop arming Taiwan after Biden approves $571 million in military aid
Chinese military officials celebrate at the launching ceremony for the Sichuan. (Pu Haiyang/VCG via Getty Images)
The PLANmi has been working to modernize its force for more than a decade with the aim of operating worldwide and not being limited to waters near mainland China. China managed to launch fighter jets using the new electromagnetic technology for the first time on its home-made aircraft carrier Fujian, which launched two years ago.
The Sichuan will now undergo further tests at sea.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
China has that largest navy in the world and is consistently trying to modernize its fleet. Recently, researchers found that the country is working on developing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier that would allow it to deploy its ships to distant waters without needing a base to refuel.
The U.S. Navy currently has 11 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers stationed at strategic locations around the world, including in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
