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China’s Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan nears commissioning
State media showed the 40,000-tonne Sichuan with full deck line markings, signaling it has entered final testing and is moving toward ship-aircraft integration training.
Computer-generated footage aired by China’s state media showed the Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan preparing to launch GJ-21 stealth fighter drones. A military commentator cited by CCTV said the ship is in the final stages of commissioning, after deck-line markings indicated it has reached the final testing phase.
The Sichuan is described as a 40,000-tonne vessel with a 250-metre-long and 62-metre-wide flight deck. The ship is designed to support amphibious operations by transporting landing craft, troops, and armoured vehicles, as well as aircraft to help power those missions.
CCTV previously reported that both the electromagnetic catapult system and the arresting gear have been completed, with the next step expected to be ship-aircraft integration training. The coverage also said the ship is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult, which supports launching both crewed and uncrewed fixed-wing aircraft, including the GJ-21 large stealth attack drone, plus helicopters.
In the graphics released by CCTV, the Sichuan launches the GJ-21 naval variant of the GJ-11 stealth attack drone, with five additional GJ-21 UAVs shown lined up on the island side of the deck as a sixth drone is catapulted into the air. The outlet also framed the ship as one of Beijing’s key assets in any potential action involving Taiwan.