China advances construction of its innovative Type 076 amphib
Taken by an aircraft passenger, this photo was one of the most recent views of the Type 076 under construction near Shanghai. (Photo: Chinese internet)
News about a special amphibious assault vessel of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) first emerged in 2020. Now, four years later, construction of the Type 076 on Changxing Island in Shanghai has appeared to be advancing well since starting around October 2023.
Photos taken by passengers using Shanghai Pudong International Airport showed the vessel at Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation. Its hull was complete and most of the flight deck has been laid down, although the island superstructure was not yet present.
The Type 076 differs markedly from the Type 075 LHD – of which
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