The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s third Type 075 amphibious assault ship has reportedly embarked on its maiden voyage.
Videos that have been circulating on social media since last week show the Type 075 warship setting out from its shipyard for its first sea trial. This coincided with a navigational restriction notice released by the Maritime Safety Administration of Shanghai on Wednesday, which said that a ship would leave the Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard on Thursday for a sea trial.
The first Type 075 ship Hainan was launched in September 2019 and its maiden voyage took place in August 2020. It entered service on April 23, 2021. The third vessel of this class was launched in January this year.
The first sea trial could feature tests of the ship’s basic functions, like the propulsion, navigation and communication systems, a Beijing-based military expert told the Global Times on Monday.
If everything goes well according to the basic pattern of ship construction, the third Type 075 could enter service with the PLA Navy next year after several more sea trials, the expert predicted.
Also functioning as a helicopter carrier, the Type 075 is said to have a large, flat flight deck to carry helicopters in addition to carrying air-cushioned landing craft, battle tanks and armored vehicles on its hangar deck in multidimensional amphibious landing missions.
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