The Sichuan is the one amphibious assault Touchdown Helicopter Dock on the planet to characteristic an Electromagnetic Launch System.
The catapult aboard China’s huge Kind 076 LHD (Touchdown Helicopter Dock) amphibious assault ship, the “Sichuan,” has been examined for the primary time,pictures that appeared on Oct. 22, 2025 appear to recommend.
The images present the vessel repositioned towards the open waters of the Yangtze River, with the launch system uncovered and illuminated at night time. Based on South China Morning Put up, a maritime security discover established a no-entry zone in entrance of the dock from October 20 to 29 for “underwater actions,” suggesting the shipyard was conducting sled assessments of the Electromagnetic Plane Launch System (EMALS), throughout which a weighted steel carriage is launched into the water to simulate plane takeoff efficiency.
The LHD, with a displacement of 40,000 ton, was confirmed to have a single catapult on the port-side of its foremost flight deck when an overhead satellite tv for pc picture of the vessel underneath building on Jun. 9, 2024 confirmed a protracted empty part that observers concluded would home the catapult.
Subsequent official pictures of its commissioning on Dec. 27, 2024, confirmed the lengthy shed masking the port-side portion of the deck, working lengthwise, once more confirming the catapult’s presence. Such sheds have been additionally beforehand used to cowl the CNS Fujian’s catapults.
That provider, that reached a significant milestone in September by launching and recovering the J-35 stealth fighter, J-15T carrier-borne jet, and the KJ-600 AEW&C plane, additionally underwent the same take a look at of its EMALS (Electro-Magnetic Launch System) catapult on Nov. 26, 2023.
076型強襲揚陸艦1番艦”四川(51)”がダミーウェイトを用いた電磁カタパルトの射出試験を実施したとみられるとのこと。進水から1年足らずではあるが近いうちに海上公試を開始する見込み。 pic.twitter.com/S76mzGEahn
— お砂糖wsnbn (@sugar_wsnbn) October 22, 2025
The Sichuan is the world’s solely amphibious ship to characteristic a catapult launch system, and former satellite tv for pc pictures at mock take a look at websites have indicated it will carry the GJ-11 Sharp Sword UCAV. That flying-wing plane was paraded, along with no less than 4 various kinds of CCAs/UCAVs, in September.
The ship additionally encompasses a twin-island design, just like the Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth-class plane carriers.
Catapult assessments
The unofficial picture of the take a look at on the Fujian confirmed a splash within the water within the harbor, forward of the provider’s bow, indicating the impression of the consultant take a look at object, normally a sled, launched from the EMALS catapult.
Even with out an official affirmation, we will safely conclude that the Sichuan has an EMALS-powered catapult, and never a steam-powered one, since China already has a homegrown and practical expertise on the Fujian. The EMALS on the Sichuan could very effectively be a by-product of the flattop’s one.
⚡ 🇨🇳 China’s Kind 076 Sichuan Checks EMALS Catapult for Drone Launches.
The PLAN’s new amphibious assault ship Sichuan simply wrapped its first electromagnetic catapult trials throughout sea assessments within the East China Sea. This setup lets it fling fixed-wing drones and helos into motion,… pic.twitter.com/92J3TWLalF
— G-2 Sitrep (@G2_SITREP) October 22, 2025
Within the image of the Sichuan claimed to symbolize the catapult trial, the ship is turned and dealing with away from the pier, alongside which it’s berthed parallely. This may very well be carried out to steer away from the opposite smaller vessels and tugs. We neither see a take a look at object on the deck nor a splash within the water to definitively seize the take a look at.
Nevertheless, a chunk of proof of the EMALS catapult trial, together with the night-time picture of the Sichuan turned away from the pier, was a discover to mariners by the Shanghai Maritime Security Administration. “[It designated] a small rectangular no-entry zone from October 20 to October 29, immediately in entrance of the shipyard’s dock entrance,” mentioned the SCMP (South China Morning Put up).
The discover to mariners cited every day “underwater actions” inside the zone from 9 am to five pm. On condition that such assessments usually use sleds as take a look at objects, the “underwater actions” could consult with the restoration of the take a look at car. Additionally, contemplating the velocity at which the ship has progressed, we will assume it will start harbour acceptance trials by this yr’s finish, and sea trials no less than earlier than mid-2026.
On November twenty sixth, the Kind 003 plane provider „Fujian” (PLANS-18) carried out an electromagnetic catapult ejection take a look at, that was mentioned to have succeeded.
(Photographs and clip through @风Qing颂 from Weibo) pic.twitter.com/0sp7LToJCH
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) November 26, 2023
CNS Sichuan position
Beside being the biggest amphibious assault provider that might be utilized in a Taiwan invasion, together with the Kind 075 notably for the rocky waters of its japanese shores, one other widespread consensus is that the brand new LHD would carry the GJ-11 flying-wing UCAV.
Whereas Taiwan’s western shores off China’s japanese seaboard might simply be reached by the a number of civilian RoRo (Roll-On/Roll-Off) vessels ceaselessly proven in workout routines, the uneven seas eastwards, deeper within the western Pacific, can solely be dealt with by naval vessels just like the Kind 075 and the Kind 076.
The rotary-wing fleet might encompass a mixture of helicopters together with the Changhe Z-8, Z-9, Z-18, Z-20, Z-10 assault helicopter, and even the Z-21 heavy-class assault helicopter. Whether it is utilized in a lightweight plane provider position, it may possibly carry the J-15T, the J-15DT digital warfare plane or the J-35. That risk nevertheless appears dim, provided that the Kind 076 Sichuan’s width is evidently small for the massive fighters.
In satellite tv for pc imagery of the Changxing Island Shipbuilding Base, what seem like mock-ups of GJ-11 drones are seen in a testing facility. They’re probably there in anticipation of trials on the Kind 003 plane provider—and doubtlessly for the Kind 076 as soon as it’s accomplished. pic.twitter.com/AV9SWqthHq
— CSIS (@CSIS) August 6, 2024
Function of the plane aboard the CNS Sichuan
The presence of arrestor cables, the EMALS catapult and the existence at provider take a look at websites of dummy mock ups of the GJ-11 actually make for an fascinating, first-of-its-kind amphibious assault idea. Turkey’s TCG Anadolu, one other amphibious assault ship with a ski-jump, in the meantime has hosted dozens of take-offs and landings by the TB3 Bayraktar UCAV, however doesn’t have arrestor cables or an EMALS catapult.
How the GJ-11 could be used on this scheme of issues stays to be seen. Nevertheless, essentially the most believable rationalization may very well be that the amphibious provider would possibly need its personal natural unmanned ISR-strike functionality with a LO (Low-Observable) plane, with out having to depend upon belongings from the PLARF (PLA Rocket Power), the PLA Navy’s different three carriers.
An amphibious touchdown dealing with fortified beachhead defenses and dugouts – itself the final stage within the escalatory naval blockade meant to strain Taiwan’s management, and which might be taken in the event that they don’t collapse – could be a bloody affair, if the Normandy landings are something to go by.
The primary Kind 076, the PLANS-51 “Sichuan” has left the dock.
(Photographs through @央视军事 from Weibo) pic.twitter.com/ULb1EAvs4N
— @Rupprecht_A (@RupprechtDeino) December 29, 2024
The GJ-11, or whichever plane the arrestor hooks and the catapult are meant for, would have a task in Excessive-Altitude Lengthy-Endurance (HALE)-type aerial surveillance. Observing beachheads and inland defenses, the plane might presumably ‘soften’ a few of them, earlier than releasing amphibious tanks and troops.
