The 071 LPD and the Landing Craft

I think some analysis was done on the size of this hovercraft when it first came out. And we thought at that time it was actually quite large. basically, large enough to carry at least one MBT. Now, some people on Chinese bbs say this can carry something of ZTZ-99 class. May or may not, but I think it should be able to carry at least a ZTZ-96 or several of their new IFVs.

Originally Posted by maozedong

[qimg]http://i42.tinypic.com/mb02s1.jpg[/qimg]

new 071 LPD under constrution in ShangHai HD shipyard, modular manufacturing.

exact

The thing is with traditional landing craft, there are major limitations as to where an amphibious force can land. The sea bed has to be of a certain type and slope, the area should be fairly clear of underwater obstacles, etc. As such, it is fairly easy for a defender to pick out such locations and heavily defend them against a enemy that is limited as such. Once you are landing with hovercraft, it opens up a lot more areas to land (70% of the world's coastlines immediately open up in fact), which means more area for a defender to cover.

Originally Posted by rhino123

Sometime I wonder, if it is worthwhile creating a massive LCAC that carried huge numbers of troops and vehicles at once. True, you could transport massive number of troops to land at a single point on shore at a time...

But if you have smaller LCAC that carried lesser troops and/or vehicles, but have more of them, you could land troops at different locations along the shores or at different points and was much more flexible as compare to 1 single ship...

The advantage might be that more LCAC can be carried in a single LPD, and could be launched at different locations at a time...

Something like, "Do not put all your eggs in one basket." because if that massive LCAC was hit or destroyed, there goes all your troops. However if the LCAC are smaller, faster and more agile, to hit it might be difficult, even if being destroy, there will be lesser troops involved and other LCAC can still reach the shore or their target location.

True, but I doubt we will see landings like the days of Operation Overlord anymore. More likely the LPD be targeted/taken out by ASMs or torpedos than individual LCACs would, besides I don't really think China or any modern military power will attempt an amphibious landing without aerial superiority and the neutralization of coastal defenses. You want something that can reinforce a position fast and create a beachhead for the main expeditionary force, and efficently and at some just sending a lot more troops isn't going to compensate for vehicles like tanks or IFVs, imo.

Inside of o71?

I think yes

The 071 LPD and the Landing Craft

Compare the yellow (middle) and white (sideway) stripes on the ramp.

that looks alot smaller then the the aft profile shot we have seen

Originally Posted by A.Man

Inside of o71?

Have they really just bolted a speedboat motor to the back of that IFV and painted it green to make it amphibious?

PS,

That can't be the inside of the type 071. Compared to earlier phones its not nearly wide enough.

Originally Posted by plawolf

Have they really just bolted a speedboat motor to the back of that IFV and painted it green to make it amphibious?

Yep. Early attempt by the Chinese to modify existing IFV's into amphibious craft.

Originally Posted by Pointblank

Yep. Early attempt by the Chinese to modify existing IFV's into amphibious craft.

I recall a picture from armour model magazine from Japan, one picture show a japanese light tank being convert into a amphibious craft.light tank is attached with a bow shape structure in the front. the picture was taken during the invasion of China.

Originally Posted by philbob

that looks alot smaller then the the aft profile shot we have seen

i think it might be an earlier type of landing ship, the type 71/72 class seems more like what the internal picture size ... on the other topic, the large outboard motor modification seems to make a BMP-1 or other amphibious vehicle that is mainly designed for river or calm lake water fording more stable in an open sea to beach situation that the original vehicle wasn't designed for

Originally Posted by A.Man

Inside of o71?

surprisingly ,PLAN do not go for tarawa class amphibous VTOL cv.

give them time to figure out how to handle a smaller ship first (this was not said in any condescending manner so lets avoid that off topic generator from the start)

Originally Posted by philbob

give them time to figure out how to handle a smaller ship first (this was not said in any condescending manner so lets avoid that off topic generator from the start)

Who says they need time on a smaller vessel first? I guess the Varyag counts as a small vessel since it's being built as we speak. And there is already news of an "081" class which would be an amphibious assault vessel in the same (LHD) class as Tarawa, Wasp, Mistral, Hyuga, etc.