SOURCE:
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/lha-newcon-units.htm
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/lha-newcon-units.htm
Aviation Amphibious Assault Ship (LHA/D)
The following table brackets a plausible range of assumptions, ranging from a program that starts soon and moves fast, with the first ship already building and entering service in 2020, with subsequent units following at annual intervals, versus a slower program that sees subsequent units joining at three year intervals. The relatively sudden appearance of the [admittedly small displacement] Jingdao Type 056 light frigates, and blazing construction pace of this class renders the "soon and fast" scenario as plausible as the "late and slow" program. By one account, China plans to have by 2049 - the Centenary of the founding of the PRC - completed construction of 10 big-deck aircraft carriers, and it may be assumed based on the US Navy precedent that the PLAN might aspire to a similar number of gators.
On 19 April 2018, Taiwan’s “Zhongshi Electronic News” said that the mainland’s "Shanghai Shipyard" [presumably meaning Hudong Shipyard, where the Type 071 LPD is built] has officially started construction of a 40,000-ton 075 amphibious assault ship. According to Taiwan media, according to the latest satellite imagery of the Shanghai Shipyard, it can be seen that the shipyard had begun to lay the pier. The keel and contour of the Chinese 075 amphibious assault ship can be seen. The length of the pier can be seen from the satellite image. Far more than 200 meters, this is in line with the information of the Chinese 075 amphibious assault ship's 250 meters long revealed by military experts.
Reports in late 2019 that the second unit would launch in early 2020 [which happened 22 April 2020]. This came one day before the 71st anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, and military enthusiasts said the launch of the second Type 075 on Wednesday, if it turns out to be real, could serve as a birthday present for the PLA Navy.
The launch of the second unit suggested the possibility of a rather brisk construction pace, that within a decade or so could match the US Navy fleet of big-deck gators. By early 2020 the critical uncertainty as to the cadence of the building program was the timing of the third unit. The first pair of units were launched at an interval of only six months, some 18 to 24 months after being laid down.
The fastest plausible building candence might encompass a pair of ships, laid down and launched at six month intervals, with a new pair emerging every two years. This would effectively add an additional unit to the PLAN inventory every year, allowing the Chinese to match the American force level of about 10 units by around the year 2030. A more sedate construction pace might achieve this goal by around the year 2050.
| Ship List | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Yard | Laid Down | Launch | Comm | notes | |||
| Batch 1 | |||||||||
| 901 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | Apr 2018 Mar 2017? | 27 Sep 2019 | 2020 | ||||
| 902 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | 2018 | 22 Apr 2020 | 2022 | 2019 : Q1 2020 launch | |||
| 903 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | 2020 2023 | 2022 2025 | 2024 2026 | 2019: 3 batch 1 | |||
| Batch 2 | |||||||||
| 904 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | 2021 2026 | 2023 2028 | 2025 2029 | 2019: 2 batch 2 | |||
| 905 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | 2022 2029 | 2024 2031 | 2026 2032 | 2019: 2 batch 2 | |||
| Batch 3??? | |||||||||
| 906 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | 2023 2032 | 2025 2034 | 2027 2035 | ||||
| 907 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | 2024 2035 | 2026 2037 | 2028 2038 | ||||
| 908 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | 2025 2038 | 2027 2040 | 2029 2041 | ||||
| 909 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | 2026 2041 | 2028 2043 | 2030 2044 | ||||
| 910 | TBD | Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding | 2027 2044 | 2029 2046 | 2031 2047 | ||||
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