Re: PLAN LHD/LPH/LHA discussion
Over at cjdby they say it could be a half scale carrier mock up for study.
2:1 scale model, unheard of and highly doubtful who does that? They do all these study's on computer these days entire carrier with all it's components are built in labs
It's clear this is a warship, there's clearly a hanger to this module and it's also got a clear imagine of a elevator, it can be nothing other than a LHD or a carrier
I would say its a very large LHD or a Liaoning sized carrier, or slightly larger than Liaoning, but the Chinese naval officers have said the second carrier will be larger than the Liaoning so I would guess this is a LHD
Chinas second carrier would likely carry 36 or 48 aircraft, this doesn't look like it could do that but certainly for a LHD it makes a perfect fit
Also building a LHD prior to the carrier would also make sense as it would give China shipyards very good experience in building flat tops lessons which they can translate into building the first true indigenous carrier
After three pretty big Type 071 LPD which can already carry 4 x LCAC and 4 x Z8 I would think its logical to build a LHD of this size