CHINA’S NINTH TYPE 071 LPD – FROM KEEL LAYING TO LAUNCH IN FOUR MONTHS!

Rear Admiral Monty Khanna (Retd) – ‘Dabolim Diaries’ Issue No 29 dated 03 Sep 2026

China launched its ninth PLA Navy Type 071 LPD (excluding the one built for Thailand) from the Hudong Zhonghua new facility on Changxing Island on 23 Aug 26. What is remarkable about this launch is that the yard has taken just four months to do so from the keel-laying of the vessel. It may be noted that the Type 071 is a fairly complex vessel displacing about 25,000 tons. It has a floodable well deck (with associated ballasting and dewatering arrangements) capable of accommodating up to four Type 726 LCACs, has large vehicle decks, and a massive helo-deck with a hangar that can take four Z-8 sized helicopters. Its troop-carrying capability is stated to be about 800. It is also fitted with a small outfit of self-defence weaponry that includes a 76 mm gun, four 30 mm gatling guns and CHAFF launchers. There are reports of installation of non-kinetic counter-drone capabilities in some of the vessels of the class.

China commissioned eight of these vessels between 2007 and 2020. All of these were built at the old yard Hudong Zhonghua on the eastern bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. As reported in ‘Dabolim Diaries’ Issue No 26 dated 10 Jul 2026 titled ‘The PLA Navy Doubles Down on its Large Amphib Fleet’, we are now witnessing a restart of this programme which is being executed in Drydock No 1 of the Hudong Zhonghua new facility on Changxing Island. This Dry dock measures 440 x 90 m and has a Wet Basin to its North West where vessels are taken for fitting out post launch (Fig 1).

Fig 1: General Layout of Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard on Changxing Island

The dock is currently being extended in length by 230 m, work on which is nearly completed though the extended section is yet to be brought into use (Fig 2).

Fig 2: Drydock Extension Work in Progress

This brief regarding the timeline of LPD # 9 is based on a series of open-source images/photographs, each of which has been annotated and explained in the subsequent paragraphs. In the middle of April 2026, Drydock No 1 was occupied by three vessels; these being a large container ship and two Type 054B frigates. Of the two frigates, the one to the east (054B # 3) was in a more advanced state of construction as compared to the vessel to the west (054B # 5). Sometime in the third week of April 2026, the container ship was floated out leaving the two frigates behind in the drydock.

Image dated 25 Apr 2026 Released by Airbus (Fig 3).

Fig 3: Image dated 25 Apr 2026 Released by Airbus

The following may be inferred from the image in Fig 3.

• The dock has been vacated by the large container ship (mid Apr 2026).
• The first block of LPD # 9 has been placed on the dock floor (possibly on 23/24 Apr 2026).
• Multiple blocks of LPD # 9 and # 10 have been stacked in the staging area next to the drydock.
• 054B # 3 is in an advanced stage of construction.
• Work continues on 054B # 5.

Photograph from Commercial Fly-by taken in May 2026 (Fig 4).

Fig 4: Photograph from Commercial Flyby taken in May 2026

The following may be inferred from the photograph in Fig 4.

• 054B # 3 is nearing completion.
• Work on LPD # 9 has progressed considerably.

Image dated 28 Jun 2026 Released by Vantor (Fig 5).

Fig 5: Image dated 28 Jun 2026 Released by Vantor

The following may be inferred from the image in Fig 5.

• 054B # 3 has been floated out. The vessel has been taken to the fitting out wharf in the adjacent wet basin.
• Substantial progress has been made on 054B # 5.
• LPD # 9 is progressing rapidly with its entire hull having been laid. Assembly of superstructure blocks is seen to be progressing.
• Over 100m of the keel of LPD # 10 has been laid. Rapid assembly is underway.
• The staging area north of the drydock remains densely populated with blocks of Hull # 9 & #10 and possibly blocks for subsequent vessels of the same class.

Image dated 28 Jun 2026 Released by Vantor (Fig 6).

Fig 6: Image dated 28 Jun 2026 Released by Vantor

The image shown in Fig 6 further corroborates the launch of 054B Hull #3 as the vessel is shown to be berthed at the fitting out wharf in the adjacent wet basin.

Image dated 03 Aug 2026 Released by Vantor (Fig 7).

Fig 7: Image dated 03 Aug 2026 Released by Vantor

The following may be inferred from the image in Fig 7.

• Substantial progress of construction activity has been made on all three vessels in the drydock i.e. 054B # 5 and LPD # 9 and # 10.
• Several blocks from the staging area north of the drydock have been used for the assembly of these vessels.

Photograph from Commercial Fly-by dated 23 Aug 2026 (Fig 8).

Fig 8: Photograph from Commercial Flyby dated 23 Aug 2026

The following may be inferred from the photograph in Fig 8.

• 054B # 5 and LPD # 9 are painted and ready for launch.
• Work on LPD # 10 has progressed considerably.
• Staging area north of the drydock has been populated by a fresh set of blocks, possibly for LPD # 11 and #12.
• Drydock extension (230m) to the east is nearing completion.

Photograph from Commercial Fly-by dated 24 Aug 2026 (Fig 9).

Fig 9: Photograph from Commercial Flyby dated 24 Aug 2026

It may be inferred from the photograph in Fig 9 that 054B # 5 and LPD # 9 were launched on 24 Aug 26.

Photograph dated 24 Aug 2026 (Fig 10).

Fig 10: Photograph dated 24 Aug 2026

Both the vessels have been berthed at fitting-out wharf in the adjacent wet basin for further outfitting as seen in Fig 10.

Image dated 26 Aug 2026 Released by Vantor (Fig 11).

Fig 11: Image dated 26 Aug 2026 Released by Vantor

The following may be inferred from the image in Fig 11.

• Substantial progress has been made on LPD # 10.
• The keel of LPD # 11 has been laid. Rapid assembly is underway.
• The staging area north of the drydock remains densely populated with blocks of LPD # 10, #11 and #12.

Assessment

It can thus be seen that the keel of LPD # 9 was laid on the dock-floor at Hudong on 24/25 April 2026. The vessel was launched on 24 Aug 2026, in precisely four months. Going by the rate of progress on follow-on construction, most notably LPD # 11, it is likely that even this astonishing timeline may be breached. The following may be assessed.

• Lessons from Commercial Shipbuilding. Chinese shipyards simultaneously engage in large commercial as well as military ship-building projects. It appears that these yards have made considerable progress in getting the timelines of military shipbuilding projects to align with the time taken to construct commercial vessels. This is not an easy task given the increased complexity of most military vessels.
• Modular Construction. Chinese shipyards have fully embraced modular construction techniques for their military projects. Large modules are fabricated and fitted-out to a considerable extent in enclosed workshops from where they are transported to the staging area adjacent to the drydock where the vessel will be assembled. This greatly reduces the drydock occupancy time between keel-laying and launch.
• Accretion of Large Expeditionary Vessels. The PLA Navy continues to acquire large expeditionary vessels at a breakneck speed. The current inventory in commission/building includes 1 x 076, 4 x 075, and 12 x 071. While these vessels may find use in a large number of situations, a Taiwan contingency will be foremost amongst these. China thus continues to acquire assets that would assist in a forced takeover of the island thereby conveying its intent that the option remains alive.