China's Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has begun conducting sea trials of a new amphibious ship of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).
The future Sichuan sailed out of Shanghai for her initial sea trials on Friday, November 14. The tests will gauge the performance of her propulsion and other onboard systems.
The future Sichuan is the lead ship of the Type 076 landing helicopter docks (LHDs) ordered by the PLAN. It is an improvement of the PLAN's Type 075 LHDs but with slightly greater dimensions and added drone-carrying capability.
Upon completion, the Type 076 LHD will have a length of 252 metres, a beam of 45 metres, a displacement of 40,000 tonnes at full load, two island superstructures, and space for over 1,000 troops in addition to crewmembers.
The ship will also be able to operate helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft with the latter being launched with the aid of an electromagnetic catapult system.
The well deck will meanwhile be able to house two Type 726 air-cushioned landing craft each capable of transporting 60 troops and two armoured fighting vehicles.
The future Sichuan is tentatively scheduled to be commissioned into PLAN service by 2027.
