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Naval
Forces News - China |
Video:
Chinese Navy in Large Amphibious Exercise With Zubr class LCAC for the
First Time |
The
People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN or Chinese Navy) South Sea Fleet
started 10 days of military training in the waters near eastern Hainan
Island in the South China Sea. The exercise involves several amphibious
assets of the PLAN such as the Type 071 LPD and their Type 726 LCAC,
but also Project
12322 Zubr large LCAC. It is the first time the Zubr is shown
in operation with the PLAN. Chinese state television CCTV released a
video for the occasion. |
 PLA
Type 99 MBT rolling off the PLAN Zubr large LCAC |
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According
to the Chinese MoD, the exercise is used to test the PLAN's ability to
land a large amphibious assault force and to conduct a joint operation.
The Zubr was unloading Chinese Army (PLA) Type
99 main battle tanks. It is not clear yet if the recently unveiled "Chinese MLP" (868 Donghaidao) was deployed in this particular exercise to support the Zubr. Currently the world’s largest hovercraft, development of Zubr landing ships started in the USSR in 1978, and the first serial ship joined Soviet Navy in 1988. Its carrying capacity is 3 main battle tanks with overall mass of 150 tons or 10 armored personnel carriers weighing up to 131 tons plus 140 marines, or 8 infantry fighting vehicles with mass up to 115 tons. If not carrying armor, Zubr is capable to accommodate 366 men. |
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Video
of the amphibious exercise with Zubr class LCAC release by CCTV. The Zubr
is visible starting at 1:37 in the video. |
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Besides
the Zubr LCAC in action for the first time, another interesting part in
the video shows one of the Type 071 LPD (serving as command ship) detecting
an incoming missile fitted with millimeter wave seeker. The combat management
system of the Type 071 automatically deployed counter measures and shared
relevant information to the escorting vessels via datalink. |
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