Article Posted on : - Jul 19, 2011

The new warship of Chinese Navy. A China Daily photo

BEIJING (BNS): The Chinese Navy has launched its largest amphibious warship ‘Jinggangshan’ in Shanghai, according to media reports.

The vessel is the second Type 071 dock landing ship and has been built by the Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard.

The warship was officially launched in Shanghai, the official China Daily said Tuesday quoting media reports.

The reports did not specify the ship’s launch date.

China had launched its first Type 071 dock landing ship, named Kunlunshan, in December 2006. The ship, having a water displacement of 18,000 tons, was commissioned into the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in 2007.

The latest warship, ‘Jinggangshan’, is 210 meters long and 28 meters wide and has a water displacement of 19,000 tons. It can carry helicopters, armoured fighting vehicles, boats and landing craft as well as nearly 1,000 soldiers, the news report said quoting the Jiangxi Daily.

China is designing the new-class of dock landing ships, also called the Yuzhou class ships, to enable the PLA/ Marine forces to operate far from home waters, and enhance the Navy’s ability to rapidly mobilise troops in any amphibious assault.

The Yuzhou class ships are said to be capable of operating helicopters, large landing craft air cushions (LCACs) and various self defence armaments, including 76 mm gun and 4 x 30 mm CIWS.

The ship can carry hovercraft and helicopters to allow assaults from greater distance and against more difficult shore terrain. The large air cushions can carry tanks at high speeds at over-the-horizon range.