 |
| Yuzhao class (Type 071) LPD (Wiki Info) |
By WENDELL MINNICK
TAIPEI — Competition from rivals such as the Philippines and Vietnam for the vast oil and fishing resources of the South China Sea has pushed China to expand its airlift and sealift capabilities with new cargo/transport aircraft and landing ships.
Though development of this equipment originally was planned for a possible confrontation with Taiwan, China is lookingat the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands dispute with Japan in the East China Sea, and minor clashes with the Philippines over the Scarborough Shoal and Chinese oil exploration efforts inside Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone, both in the South China Sea.
In 2006, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense estimated that with mobilized civilian lift, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could transport five to six divisions of troops to Taiwan. All of the PLA Navy’s large amphibious transports and most of the new large civil ferries have been built since 2006.
China’s Navy just launched its third 28,000-ton Yuzhao-class (Type 071) landing platform dock, which can transport 500 to 800 troops and 15 to 20 amphibious armored vehicles. Three additional 071s could be built in the near future.
Read the full story at DefenseNews