By Huizhong Wu | The AP via the Military Times
China launched a new amphibious assault ship Friday, capable of launching fighter jets and designed to strengthen the navy’s combat ability in distant seas.
The Sichuan, the first ship of the Type 076, is China’s largest such ship yet, displacing 40,000 tons and equipped with an electromagnetic catapult that will allow fighter jets to launch directly off its deck, according to the official Xinhua news agency.
The ship is designed to launch ground troops in landing crafts and provide them with air support.