In the turbulent ocean of dark tides, a huge figure is quietly approaching.
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This is not any conventional surface ship, but an amphibious assault ship of large size and unusually rich armament. Around it, there are several uniquely shaped supply ships guarding it, as if a powerful fist is gathering momentum.
This is the picture of the beginning of 2024, just over a year ago. And in this short year, the Chinese Navy has made new moves that have once again made the West "dumbfounded". Following the fourth aircraft carrier, a newly designed amphibious assault ship was also quietly unveiled, and its number far exceeded outside expectations.
What's going on? How fast is the Chinese Navy developing? How will the West react to these new developments? Let's unravel the mystery behind this scene.
The rapidly developing Chinese Navy
To answer these questions, we must first understand the development of the Chinese Navy in recent years.
As we all know, since the launch of the first aircraft carrier Liaoning, launched in 2012, the overall strength of the Chinese Navy has taken a qualitative leap. In just ten years, two aircraft carriers have been launched into service, and a fourth, more advanced aircraft carrier is being built. Among them, the Shandong ship, which was commissioned in 2017, is regarded as a landmark event for the Chinese Navy's aircraft carrier battle group to truly mature.
At the same time, the Chinese Navy has significantly increased the number of surface warships of various types. In particular, the Type 055 missile destroyer, which was commissioned in 2014, and a large number of Type 052D missile destroyers that have been commissioned one after another, have greatly enhanced the Chinese Navy's ocean-going combat capability. According to statistics, the Chinese Navy currently has more than 30 large surface ships of more than 10,000 tons.
In terms of amphibious combat capabilities, the Chinese Navy is also constantly strengthening. The Type 075 amphibious assault ship, launched in 2019, and the Type 076 amphibious assault ship, which will soon be launched for service, have significantly enhanced the Chinese Navy's landing combat capabilities. Among them, the Type 076 is seen as a completely new amphibious assault platform, which can not only perform landing combat missions, but also may act as a drone carrier.
It can be said that in just over a decade or so, the overall strength of China's navy has undergone earth-shaking changes, and Western countries have no choice but to look at China's naval strength and speed of development.
New amphibious assault ships were unveiled
And against this background, the Chinese Navy has made a new major move. At the end of 2023, the open-source intelligence platform exposed a shocking news: another newly designed Chinese amphibious assault ship has been launched at the Guangzhou shipyard. The ship was named the "Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship", which is significantly different from the Type 075 that was previously in service.
It is reported that the Type 076 amphibious assault ship will have a full load displacement of more than 40,000 tons, making it the world's largest amphibious assault ship. At the same time, it is also equipped with a large number of advanced weapons and equipment, including vertical launch systems, carrier-based helicopters, amphibious landing forces, etc. It can be said that the Type 076 is undoubtedly a multi-functional amphibious assault platform integrating amphibious landing, aviation support, and ocean-going replenishment.
What is even more surprising to the outside world is that open source intelligence also revealed that not long after the launch of the first Type 076 ship, the Chinese Navy immediately launched the second Type 076 amphibious assault ship. This means that compared to the single launch of the Type 075 amphibious assault ship, the Chinese Navy has carried out a large-scale concentration in the construction of the Type 076 amphibious assault ship.
Some analysts believe that it is likely that these two Type 076 ships are just the tip of the iceberg, and more similar ships will be launched into service in the future. This has undoubtedly once again refreshed the outside world's perception of China's amphibious landing capability.
The much-talked-about 901A supply ship
In addition to the new trends in amphibious assault ships, there have also been some noteworthy changes in the construction of the Chinese Navy's supply ship fleet.
Not long after the launch of the first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, open source intelligence exposed another piece of news: the Chinese Navy's Type 901A integrated supply ship has a new dynamic again. It is reported that Guangzhou Shipyard International recently launched a brand-new Type 901A comprehensive supply ship, which is the fourth ship of this class. More strikingly, the report also revealed that there is another 901A in the dockyard final assembly.
The Type 901A supply ship is in the spotlight because of the key role it plays in the Chinese Navy's ocean-going combat forces. As a large supply ship with a full load displacement of more than 40,000 tons, the 901A can provide long-term and effective supply of fuel, ammunition and materials for aircraft carrier formations and amphibious combat groups. This has greatly enhanced the Chinese Navy's continuous combat capability in the open oceans.
In addition, the technical level of the 901A is also world-leading. It adopts a large number of advanced technologies, such as electromagnetic catapult system, intelligent management and control system, etc., which greatly improves the supply efficiency. It can be said that 901A is an indispensable and important part of the ocean-going combat forces of the Chinese Navy.
Why, then, does the Chinese Navy continue to build more supply ships of the same type when there are already 3 901A? What is the mystery of the "great shift"?
In this regard, some analysts believe that this may be related to the future amphibious combat capacity building of the Chinese Navy. The emergence of Type 076 amphibious assault ships is bound to lead to an increase in supporting supply ships. And the 4th and 5th 901A supply ships, most likely, were prepared for this amphibious combat formation.
At the same time, it cannot be ruled out that these 901A supply ships may also provide support for the fourth aircraft carrier of the Chinese Navy. After all, in the aircraft carrier formation, the Type 901A supply ships have always played an irreplaceable and important role.
In any case, in the context of the Chinese Navy's continuous strengthening of its ocean-going combat capabilities, the emergence of these Type 904A supply ships will undoubtedly further enhance the comprehensive combat capability of the Chinese Navy.
The West is again "dumbfounded"
The reaction of the Western public opinion circles to this series of eye-catching new moves of the Chinese Navy can be described as "dumbfounded".
After all, not so long ago, when China announced that it was building a 4th aircraft carrier, most Western analysts expressed skepticism. In their opinion, China is unlikely to build a 4th aircraft carrier until the Fujian is commissioned. Some even assert that the Chinese Navy may only maintain the size of a three-aircraft carrier group by 2030.
Once again, however, these predictions proved to be completely wrong. The Chinese Navy has not only completed its fourth aircraft carrier as scheduled, but has also made remarkable breakthroughs in the field of amphibious assault ships. This could not help but make the West feel "caught off guard" again.
Analysts believe that there are two main reasons for this situation: first, the "general section construction method" adopted by China has greatly improved the concealment and efficiency of ship construction; Second, Western countries generally underestimate the speed of development and the construction capacity of China's navy.
The so-called "general section construction method" is to prefabricate the various components of a large ship in the factory in advance, and then unify them in the shipyard for final assembly. This not only greatly shortens the construction period of the ship, but also greatly improves the concealment, making it difficult for the outside world to know the specific construction progress through satellite monitoring and other means.
At the same time, the Chinese Navy has accumulated rich experience and technology in all aspects of ship design, manufacturing, and assembly, which has greatly improved the overall construction efficiency. In contrast, Western countries generally follow the "tower construction method", which has a long construction period, and it is difficult to cope with the rapid development of the Chinese navy.
It is precisely because of the underestimation of the strength of the Chinese Navy that Western countries have repeatedly appeared to be "dumbfounded" by the development of China's military strength. As some analysts have pointed out, in the face of such a rapid pace of China's naval construction, Western public opinion circles may only be "constantly slapped in the face".
The future of the 076 amphibious assault ship
And in this series of new trends that have "stunned" the West, the Type 076 amphibious assault ship is undoubtedly the most eye-catching. Not only is it huge and well-equipped, but it also exceeds expectations. This will undoubtedly greatly enhance the Chinese Navy's amphibious landing combat capability.
So, what role will the Type 076 amphibious assault ship play in the future?
Some analysts believe that the Type 076 may become the core of the Chinese Navy's future amphibious combat formation. It can not only perform routine landing missions, but may also act as a drone carrier to provide strong aviation support for amphibious landings. At the same time, the huge size and abundant equipment of the Type 076 also enable it to take on the heavy responsibility of ocean-going supply, greatly improving the continuous combat capability of the amphibious combat group.
In addition, the emergence of Type 076 also laid the foundation for the further development of the future amphibious combat forces of the Chinese Navy. It is foreseeable that at some point in the future, the Chinese Navy is likely to form an amphibious combat formation with Type 076 amphibious assault ships as the core, and form closer coordination with the aircraft carrier battle group. This will greatly enhance China's amphibious landing capabilities in the ocean-going region.
Of course, the number of Type 076 amphibious assault ships built is also a matter of concern. Industry insiders believe that given its huge size and equipment, the Chinese Navy is likely to limit the number of Type 076 ships to about 2-3 ships in the future to control costs and maintain formation coordination. But even so, this is enough to pose a serious challenge to the Western Navy in the field of amphibious operations.
In general, the appearance of the Type 076 amphibious assault ship marks a key step in the Chinese Navy's capacity building for amphibious landing operations. It not only enhances China's ocean-going amphibious projection capability, but also lays the foundation for the construction of future amphibious combat formations. This will undoubtedly arouse great concern among Western countries and force them to conduct a comprehensive review and adjustment of their amphibious combat forces.
Prospect and interact with readers
To sum up, in just over a year, the Chinese Navy has launched its fourth aircraft carrier and a new amphibious assault ship, which once again made Western countries "dumbfounded". This not only reflects the rapid development of the Chinese Navy, but also highlights its huge advantages in key technologies and construction capabilities.
There is no doubt that these new developments will have a profound impact on the regional and even global naval strategic landscape. The rise of China's navy is forcing Western countries to re-examine and recalibrate their maritime capabilities. It is not difficult for us to foresee that in the future, the competition between the two sides in the comparison of maritime forces and strategic deployment will become more intense.
So, what new moves and breakthroughs will the Chinese Navy make next? How is it headed? How will it affect the regional and even global naval? These are all issues that deserve our continued attention.
Readers are welcome to express their views and opinions on related issues, and let's discuss the prospects for the development of the Chinese Navy!
#颠覆认知! The Chinese Navy has shown a new posture, and the 4th aircraft carrier and 076 have made the West "look away" #