China begins sea trials with the Sichuan, its first amphibious drone carrier

English Posted on  —by Carro e motos

China begins sea trials with the Sichuan, its first amphibious drone carrier China begins sea trials with the Sichuan, its first amphibious drone carrier (X @RupprechtDeino)

The amphibious assault ship Sichuan, the first Type 076 model designed by China to operate drones, began its sea trials this Friday, as reported by the state agency Xinhua.

The vessel, launched last December, is seen as a significant advancement for the Chinese Navy by incorporating an electromagnetic catapult system, making it widely regarded as the world’s first “drone carrier.”

During this evaluation phase, the engine performance and stability of the power system will be examined, steps considered essential before the official commissioning of the ship. The ship, hull number 51 and named after the Sichuan province, was built at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai.

The expectation is that the Sichuan will be delivered to the People’s Liberation Army Navy by the end of 2026, marking another advancement in China’s naval modernization. The start of the trials comes a week after China officially commissioned the Fujian, its most advanced aircraft carrier, and the first to be equipped with electromagnetic catapults.

Source: South China Morning Post | Photo: X @RupprechtDeino | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.

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