Bigger and Better

Prasun K. Sengupta

In a brief ceremony held on 25 September 2019, the China State Shipbuilding Corp’s (CSSC) Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard launched the first of three Type-075 landing helicopter docks (LHD) that are on order from the PLA Navy. Displacing about 30,000 tonnes, the LHD has a length of 250 metres, 32-metre beam width, draught of 8.5 metres, a maximum cruising speed of 23 Knots, and the capacity to house up to eighteen 12-tonne helicopters both above- and below-deck. Design work on the Type-075 LHD began in 2011 and the keel of the first vessel was laid two years ago. The LHD is expected to carry 18 Z-18F ASW/utility helicopters and Z-18K AEW helicopters. CSSC has also been offering a smaller LPH variant of the Type-075 LHD for export.

PLAN’s Type 71 LPD (Landing Platform Dock)

Earlier, in a signing