China’s jumbo Sichuan 076 amphibious assault ship completes first sea trials

The three-day trial marks a major step forward for the People’s Liberation Army to take delivery of its first Type 076 amphibious assault carrier, seen as a key asset for China’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operations.

The trials, which began on Friday morning, aimed to test the reliability and stability of the supersized warship’s engine and power system, and had “achieved the expected results”, the CCTV report said on Sunday.

The vessel had returned to dock at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai, it added.

The trials came just days after the commissioning of the Fujian, China’s newest and most advanced aircraft carrier and its first to be equipped with electromagnetic catapult technology.

The carrier officially entered into service earlier this month. Both the Sichuan and Fujian have been indigenously designed and built and represent the PLA’s strengthened efforts to modernise its navy.