The threat to Taiwan: China tests unidentified landing craft

China has tested newly developed auxiliary vessels that are supposed to enable the landing of armored vehicles from civilian barges on unprepared coastlines and could be used to seize Taiwan.

Footage of the new Chinese ship being tested was posted online.

Specialized auxiliary vessels, which Chinese shipyards started to mass-produce at the beginning of the year, are designed as an intermediate link to ensure that a large number of heavy equipment can be landed from other vessels within a short period of time.

The stern of these vessels has a large open platform for receiving equipment and cargo from other vessels. This equipment is supposed to go along the ship and come ashore on an elongated folding ramp about 120 meters long.

The video shows that the solution used allows them to bypass a difficult section of the coastline, landing the equipment directly on solid ground. And the ramp opens up opportunities for receiving equipment from conventional cargo ships.

The ships have retractable supports that ensure the platform’s stability and prevent swaying. In fact, when approaching the coast, the ship thus turns into a temporary pier.

Based on satellite images, Naval news reported that in early January, China was simultaneously building at least three or even five such ships at a shipyard in Guangzhou, in the south of the country.

Such ships can play a key role in amphibious assaults, as they can multiply the landing potential. Their functionality makes it possible to supplement military landing ships with a large number of civilian barges.

Their active development may be a characteristic sign of China’s preparations for an amphibious operation in Taiwan.

The media emphasizes that there are only a small number of beaches on the main island of Taiwan suitable for amphibious armored vehicles, the defense of which is well organized. In addition to these, only pre-seized ports were considered for large-scale landings until recently.

The involvement of new vessels by the Chinese Navy can offset the problem, globally expanding the possibilities for large-scale landings of armored units in previously inaccessible areas.

A possible scenario of occupation of the island country by the PLA can be assessed from last year’s Joint Sword 2024B military exercises, for which an aircraft carrier group, aviation and missile forces were deployed.