China conducts full-scale island assault exercise with massive amphibious vessels

For the first time, all of the PLA Navy’s three gigantic Type 071 Amphibious Transport Dock vessels were deployed last week in a large naval exercise in the tense South China Sea, simulating in full an island-taking assault.

 

Also participating in the drill were PLAN’s destroyers, frigates, military helicopters and possibly submarines.

The Yuzhao-class Type 071 amphibious transport dock ships are the PLAN’s largest vessels, except for its lone aircraft carrier, the Liaoning.

 

With 20,000-ton displacement, each measures 689 feet long and 92 feet wide.

 

It can carry 15-20 amphibious assault vehicles and 500-800 troops, an ideal vessel for island taking operations