New satellite images released in recent days indicate that the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan (51) continues to make progress in its pre-sea trial readiness phase. The information comes from imagery captured on November 10, showing for the first time the ship’s fully marked flight deck—a usual sign that initial sailings are imminent.
The newly painted markings match those previously seen at the land-based test facility, designed to rehearse procedures with aircraft and unmanned systems. In earlier images, still in the process of being painted, the overlapping of circular and triangular figures hinted at the final configuration. The parallel between both surfaces confirms the intended role of the Type 076 as a primary platform for operating unmanned aerial vehicles such as the GJ-21, in addition to helicopters.
The program’s evolution adds to milestones achieved in previous months. During October, open-source intelligence (OSINT) reports indicated that the Sichuan had completed initial trials of its electromagnetic catapult system—a next-generation feature that represents the main difference between the Type 076 and its predecessor assault ships. Earlier, the Chinese Navy had confirmed the launch of the first hull on December 27, 2024, at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyards in Shanghai, where it was officially christened Sichuan and numbered “51.”
Measuring 260 meters in length and 43 meters in beam, the ship surpasses the U.S. Navy’s America-class vessels and Japan’s Izumo-class helicopter carriers in size. Its design includes a large flight deck, spacious internal hangars, and the capacity to transport around 1,000 marines, along with vehicles and aircraft. The integration of an arresting system derived from the Fujian aircraft carrier’s technology strengthens its capability to recover unmanned aircraft launched from the platform.
The upcoming commissioning of the Type 076 highlights the Chinese Navy’s focus on enhancing its amphibious, naval-air control, and power-projection capabilities across the Indo-Pacific. Regional analysts have emphasized that the combination of electromagnetic catapults, embarked drones, and amphibious capacity positions the Sichuan as a key asset for potential pressure operations against Taiwan or for extended presence missions in disputed areas.
In light of these recent developments, all signs point to the next phase of the program being the start of sea trials—a milestone that will mark the definitive transition of the Type 076 toward operational service in the Chinese Navy.
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