China Prepares Type 076 Sichuan Amphibious Ship for Catapult Launched Drone Operations.

China has released new official footage of its first Type 076 amphibious assault ship, Sichuan, showing the vessel conducting a live-fire countermeasure launch and, for the first time, an electromagnetic catapult test. The new images indicate the warship is entering a critical phase of systems qualification ahead of operational service with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

The footage provides the clearest view yet of the Type 076's intended operational role, highlighting the integration of advanced aviation and self-defense capabilities aboard China's next-generation amphibious assault ship. Among the most significant revelations is the appearance of a red dead-load test cart being launched from the ship's electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS), confirming continued testing of one of the vessel's defining technologies. Combined with a live-fire countermeasure launch, the trials suggest the PLAN is steadily validating key combat and aviation systems before the ship enters fleet service. The Type 076 is expected to expand China's expeditionary warfare capabilities by combining traditional amphibious operations with catapult-assisted fixed-wing aviation.

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Screenshots from official CCTV footage show the Type 076 amphibious assault ship Sichuan conducting a live-fire countermeasure launch and an electromagnetic catapult dead-load test using a red test cart during system qualification trials. (Picture source: CCTV News screenshots)

The release follows several sea trial campaigns conducted since Sichuan was launched in December 2024 and completed its maiden sea trial in November 2025. Although Beijing has not announced an official commissioning schedule, the succession of trials indicates that the propulsion system, aviation facilities and combat systems continue to advance through their final validation phases. The newly released footage focuses primarily on the features that distinguish the Type 076 from previous Chinese amphibious assault ships and provides the most comprehensive public view of the vessel since its launch.

According to footage broadcast by CCTV News and reported by the Global Times on August 1, 2026, Sichuan successfully conducted a live-fire countermeasure launch together with an electromagnetic catapult dead-load test. The sequence also confirms that preliminary Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) trials had previously been carried out using a red test cart, a standard qualification procedure designed to validate launch performance, power management, and system reliability before progressing to aircraft launch trials. The footage therefore represents the first official confirmation that the PLAN has moved beyond system installation toward comprehensive testing of the Type 076's launch architecture.

The Type 076 is generally regarded as a hybrid platform positioned between a conventional landing helicopter dock (LHD) and a light aircraft carrier. Chinese authorities state that the ship has a displacement exceeding 40,000 tonnes, while open-source assessments estimate its full-load displacement at between 40,000 and 50,000 tonnes. Measuring at least 250 meters in length, with overall estimates ranging from approximately 252 to 260 meters, the vessel combines a full-length flight deck, a twin-island superstructure and a floodable well deck, preserving its amphibious assault capability while expanding its aviation capacity beyond that of the Type 075.

One of the ship's principal technical features is its Integrated Electric Propulsion (IEP) architecture. Available assessments indicate that the propulsion system combines two gas turbines rated at approximately 21 MW each with six 6 MW diesel generators, providing an installed electrical output of around 78 MW. This configuration supplies the power required by the electromagnetic catapult while simultaneously supporting the ship's combat systems, sensors, and onboard services. Unlike conventional steam catapults, the EMALS uses linear induction motors capable of adjusting launch energy according to aircraft weight, reducing structural stress on airframes while improving launch consistency and operational flexibility.

The aviation facilities represent the most distinctive aspect of the design. The flight deck incorporates an electromagnetic catapult, arresting gear, two large aircraft elevators serving the hangar, and a third forward elevator. Available imagery also shows a deck arrangement that differs from conventional helicopter assault ships, supporting assessments that the platform has been optimized primarily for fixed-wing unmanned aircraft operations.

Chinese sources have suggested that the vessel could eventually operate manned aircraft such as the J-35 stealth fighter or the KJ-600 carrier-based airborne early warning aircraft, although these capabilities have not yet been demonstrated during the current test campaign. If commissioned in its current configuration, the Type 076 would become the world's first amphibious assault ship equipped with both an electromagnetic catapult and an arrested recovery system. While several navies operate large amphibious assault ships capable of deploying helicopters or short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft, no equivalent platform currently combines CATOBAR flight operations with a floodable well deck. At the same time, the ship retains a floodable well deck capable of deploying two Type 726 Yuyi-class landing craft air cushion (LCAC) vehicles while accommodating more than 1,000 embarked marines. Its self-defense suite is expected to include three Type 1130 close-in weapon systems (CIWS), three HHQ-10 short-range surface-to-air missile launchers and multiple decoy launchers designed to counter anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.

The newly released footage provides a clearer indication of the operational concept underpinning the Type 076. Unlike conventional amphibious assault ships primarily designed to transport landing forces under helicopter cover, the new platform appears intended to sustain persistent air operations using fixed-wing unmanned aircraft.

The combination of an electromagnetic catapult, arresting gear and a large flight deck would enable the deployment of unmanned systems for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, target acquisition, electronic warfare and precision strike missions in direct support of amphibious operations. Such a capability could extend the operational reach of a Chinese expeditionary task group without requiring the continuous presence of a fleet aircraft carrier.

The development of the Type 076 reflects the broader expansion of the Chinese Navy, which currently operates more than 370 battle force ships and submarines according to recent U.S. Department of Defense assessments, making it the world's largest navy by number of hulls. This expansion includes the introduction of the Type 003 aircraft carrier Fujian, the continued construction of Type 055 and Type 052D destroyers, the arrival of the new Type 054B frigates and the ongoing modernization of both nuclear-powered and conventionally powered submarine fleets.

Beyond the quantitative growth of the fleet, the Type 076 illustrates China's effort to diversify the means by which it can generate naval air power. Within the Indo-Pacific, the combination of aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, large surface combatants and increasingly capable unmanned aviation could provide the PLAN with greater operational flexibility across multiple theaters, including the Taiwan Strait, the South China Sea, the East China Sea and the Western Pacific. As these capabilities continue to mature, regional and allied navies will need to account for a broader range of Chinese expeditionary and maritime air operations when planning future force posture and deterrence activities.