Western intelligence analysis agencies suggest that the amphibious assault ship of Type 076 currently under construction is expected to be launched before the end of this year. As a vessel that began dock assembly at the end of last year, this conclusion marks a dock assembly cycle of only one year for Type 076, a figure alarming enough for Western satellites to take notice.
Because if China can sustain this efficiency in construction, combined with the currently outfitted 003 Fujian ship and the likely already underway 004 aircraft carrier, by 2030, the PLA Navy is expected to possess up to 10 aircraft carriers.
Recently, photos taken by Western commercial satellites have captured the latest construction progress of the domestically produced 076 amphibious assault ship. Compared to photos taken earlier this year, the new photos show more hulls resembling the 054A or 054B frigates within the dock where 076 is located, totaling 3 vessels.
At the same time, the structural integrity of Type 076’s hull is also improving. Although it will take some time before the flight deck assembly is completed, according to analysis by some open-source intelligence experts and the shipbuilding experience accumulated by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding on the 075 amphibious assault ship, as long as construction progresses smoothly, Type 076 amphibious assault ship is expected to be launched before the end of this year.
This conclusion has sparked widespread discussion, as Type 076 amphibious assault ship only began dock assembly at the end of the 23rd year, less than half a year ago. If this vessel can be launched before the end of this year, it would mean that the dock assembly cycle for Type 076 is only about one year, two months longer than the average 10-month dock period for the 075 amphibious assault ship.
This is evidently not good news for the United States because, despite efforts to invest in building America-class amphibious assault ships amidst deindustrialization, the U.S. Navy faces challenges. For instance, the construction of the third ship, the Bougainville, from laying the keel to its formal launch, took a staggering four and a half years. Moreover, due to issues like a shortage of skilled workers, inflation, and technological loss in shipbuilding, the fourth ship, the Tripoli, which began construction in September last year, might face even more serious delays, further slowing down the U.S. Navy’s iteration speed in amphibious assault ship construction.
In addition to delays in the construction of newly built amphibious assault ships, the U.S. military faces numerous shortcomings in maintaining its existing fleet. For example, the boxer, the fourth ship of the Wasp class, underwent a major overhaul in March this year, intended to take over overseas deployment tasks from the Wasp in April.
However, due to factors such as negligence by shipyard workers, ineffective supervision by the shipyard, and flaws in the overhaul process, the U.S. Navy discovered three major engineering accidents during the acceptance inspection of the boxer, forcing the ship to return to the shipyard for repairs just two weeks after leaving the factory.
In this scenario, faced with China’s construction efficiency of one 075 every ten months and one 076 every year, the U.S. Navy’s stockpile advantage will soon be overtaken by the Chinese Navy in the foreseeable future.
Not to mention, the strategic value of Type 076 amphibious assault ship far surpasses that of other similar vessels, to the point where, in a way, there are no similar vessels. It’s purely referred to as an amphibious assault ship, without any other appropriate descriptors.
After all, which other amphibious assault ship will be equipped with an electromagnetic catapult, capable of launching and recovering fixed-wing drones and even manned aircraft with non-short takeoff and landing capabilities?
The inclusion of an electromagnetic catapult significantly enhances the comprehensive combat capability of Type 076, to the extent that in the eyes of some overseas military observers, Type 076 is already considered a “medium-sized” aircraft carrier. This also means that, based on the construction rate of one 076 per year, by 2030, the PLA will possess at least six 076 amphibious assault ships. Coupled with the Liaoning, Shandong, and Fujian aircraft carriers, which will be in service by then, as well as the potentially completed 004 aircraft carrier, the PLA will have up to 10 “aircraft carriers” capable of aerial operations, effectively narrowing the gap between the PLA and the US Navy in carrier-based aviation capabilities.
It is worth noting that Type 076 and 075 are not mutually exclusive, at least not so far. Evidence shows that after the construction of the first 076 amphibious assault ship began, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding was still simultaneously constructing the fourth ship of the 075 amphibious assault ship.
This indicates that for the PLA, traditional amphibious assault ships relying on helicopters for combat still hold an important position in the operational system. The reason for this is likely that in order to enhance its own aerial operational capabilities, Type 076 has reduced its capacity to carry landing forces. Whether the vessel has a dock capable of accommodating landing craft is still up for debate, which makes it necessary for the PLA to use the 075 to compensate for the shortcomings in the carrying capacity of landing forces in the amphibious combat group.
It can be said that as the construction progress of Type 076 amphibious assault ship steadily advances, China is continuously narrowing the gap with the United States in naval strength. This lays a solid foundation for the PLA to further consolidate its advantageous position in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and as these weapons and equipment are increasingly transformed into China’s strategic advantages in foreign affairs, the risk of military conflicts between China and the US will also be limited to a certain extent.
Because ultimately, America’s hegemonic position is built on its unchallengeable military power. This is an “invincible myth,” and once the myth is shattered, the American hegemonic system will collapse. Therefore, the United States is trying its best to suppress countries that may threaten its status. And when China, as a special case, grows to a size capable of defeating the United States, gradually overtaking it, while strategically retreating and declaring that it hasn’t lost, merely “transitioning,” becomes one of the few viable options to maintain its hegemony. (Jiang Fuwei)