The PLAN LCAC Type 726 Yuyi Class

asif iqbal said:

Now THAT is interesting

I only ever thought that 5 X LCAC had been identified now we have 6

This is JNCX yard and at the start of the year in 2015 only 2 X LCAC were there now we have 3

Could they have made another 3 in 2016?

So in reality like Jeff said we have 3 with pennant numbers 3 more ready and possible more in the making

What the latest google image from JNCX ?

This just took a interesting turn

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Well, those three are there at JNCX...but we do not know much about them.

I want to see LCACs at sea and working up with those Type 071 LPDs!

That's where they belong. That is their natural environment,

At this stage the PLAN should have at least 16 or more operational LCACs.

Come on PLAN...let's get these puppies built and out to sea!

Chinese LPD with LCAC development has been slow VERY slow

The speed of other projects is amazing the speed of LCAC is amazingly slow

MwRYum said:

If they ditched the LCAC altogether, then the whole 071 and even the rumoured LPH (081?) will come to question as well, as those designs relied on the LCAC to quickly (if not also from a further off-shore distance) deploy troops and heavy hardware - especially MBTs - onto beachheads.

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Nobody said anything about ditching them. They have their uses in quickly relaying tanks, non-swimming IFV's, trucks, jeeps, equipment, and personnel from their LPD motherships onto shore. My own statement was that they need a better version that more efficiently utilizes the available footprint. Perhaps they are working on just such an upgrade, but the pace is so slow that there is nothing much to leak onto the internet yet.

Iron Man said:

Nobody said anything about ditching them. They have their uses in quickly relaying tanks, non-swimming IFV's, trucks, jeeps, equipment, and personnel from their LPD motherships onto shore. My own statement was that they need a better version that more efficiently utilizes the available footprint. Perhaps they are working on just such an upgrade, but the pace is so slow that there is nothing much to leak onto the internet yet.

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My guess is that they are working on an imporvement to the Type 726 that is still an LCAC of the approximate same size, but with better engines that can carry more and faster.

That's what they need...it is just taking them longer than expected to gt there IMHO.

Jeff Head said:

My guess is that they are working on an imporvement to the Type 726 that is still an LCAC of the approximate same size, but with better engines that can carry more and faster.

That's what they need...it is just taking them longer than expected to gt there IMHO.

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That and shifting realities and priorities.

When the 071 and LCAC plans were first laid down, their primary mission would have been the SCS.

Taiwan is too close to need such assets, (although they would certainly be useful) any further afield and China lacks both the logistical support capabilities and any foreseeable need to launch large scale amphibious landings and invasions.

However, with the decision to build the new island bases in the SCS, the entire security dynamic has changed, and with it, priorities for assets within the PLAN.

With those island bases, China's Zubr deal suddenly makes so much more sense, and I would expect to see an acceleration and expansion of the Zubr production programme. OTOH, I would expect to see China's LPD programme slowed down, or even cut back in favour of more Zubrs and LHDs, which will be much more practical for the kinds of missions the PLAN would realistically be expecting to carry out in the short to medium term.

The PLAN would, of course maintain its LPD fleet, and may even build the next 3 planned and more to cover all its bases, but the priority of the programme is likely to drop down the picking order as a result of the recent developments. That will mean R&D as well as procurement funding getting deferred or even cut. Not even China has unlimited resources to pursue every project at break-neck speed.

plawolf said:

That and shifting realities and priorities.

When the 071 and LCAC plans were first laid down, their primary mission would have been the SCS.

However, with the decision to build the new island bases in the SCS, the entire security dynamic has changed, and with it, priorities for assets within the PLAN.

With those island bases, China's Zubr deal suddenly makes so much more sense, and I would expect to see an acceleration and expansion of the Zubr production programme. OTOH, I would expect to see China's LPD programme slowed down, or even cut back in favour of more Zubrs and LHDs, which will be much more practical for the kinds of missions the PLAN would realistically be expecting to carry out in the short to medium term.

The PLAN would, of course maintain its LPD fleet, and may even build the next 3 planned and more to cover all its bases, but the priority of the programme is likely to drop down the picking order as a result of the recent developments. That will mean R&D as well as procurement funding getting deferred or even cut. Not even China has unlimited resources to pursue every project at break-neck speed.

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Perhaps so...but they do have four LPDs already built and commissioned and a fifth is building. I believe that their plans for six will hold.

And LCACs are simply about the best way to take advantage of those assets. And if they do build LHDs and they put well deck in them (which they almost certainly will) I expect they would want LCACs for them too.

Yes, they have amphibious tanks...but those are one at a time things and carry very few troops. An LCAC can carry light armor and numerous troops, or individual large MBTs that otherwise cannot get to shore from the LPD.

I expect to see the PLA, at some point, solve whatever LCAC problems they have and build enough of those craft to maximize the benefit they offer.

I just do not know when that will be...and to your point, shifting priorities may make it later than sooner.

As to the Zubrs...I agree completely. They now have four of them.

I would think they would build four, or even eight more. I would have in fact expected to see more building already...but they haven't started doing that yet either that I can see.

Time will tell.

plawolf said:

That and shifting realities and priorities.

When the 071 and LCAC plans were first laid down, their primary mission would have been the SCS.

Taiwan is too close to need such assets, (although they would certainly be useful) any further afield and China lacks both the logistical support capabilities and any foreseeable need to launch large scale amphibious landings and invasions.

However, with the decision to build the new island bases in the SCS, the entire security dynamic has changed, and with it, priorities for assets within the PLAN.

With those island bases, China's Zubr deal suddenly makes so much more sense, and I would expect to see an acceleration and expansion of the Zubr production programme. OTOH, I would expect to see China's LPD programme slowed down, or even cut back in favour of more Zubrs and LHDs, which will be much more practical for the kinds of missions the PLAN would realistically be expecting to carry out in the short to medium term.

The PLAN would, of course maintain its LPD fleet, and may even build the next 3 planned and more to cover all its bases, but the priority of the programme is likely to drop down the picking order as a result of the recent developments. That will mean R&D as well as procurement funding getting deferred or even cut. Not even China has unlimited resources to pursue every project at break-neck speed.

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Even us non-professionals reckoned for a long time that LHDs will be the logical next step, which is why since the 071 class LPD, for almost 10 years the rumour for LHD just never stop. But in order to exploit the full usefulness of the LHD hull, the PLAN will need to vastly expand its medium class utility (role for Z-15 or Z-20, depend on which one to be fully adopted) or heavies (Z-8/Z18), plus attack helicopters for air-to-mud duties, whether a full helicopter regiment dedicated to operate with the PLAN Marines, or even a fully organic PLAN Marines rotary arm for such. However, we still don't see the Chinese have shift their defence budget in the manner to fulfil what has just been said, nor such design reach model stage for "internal consumption" (ie. not for export bid).

As for LCAC operate in SCS...if so, you'd see those islands comes with off-ramps for the LCAC to get ashore either for maintenance on land or load / unload men and hardware for operations. Such area will be dedicated to LCAC / Zubr operations instead of sharing with the airstrip to avoid FOD hazard to jets, layouts on concrete floor, large pavement connecting to the airstrip and the off-ramps all in connection, along with workshops and other support facilities will be a dead-on giveaway. So far, not even those US "think tanks" come up with anything either.

Yet, most of the SCS above-water islands or structures would be better off boarded with helicopters, as there are not that many islands in SCS that's be big enough to put the LCAC / Zubr to work, most of the occupied outposts are too small to warrant "assault" even.

That leaves, if the LCAC project is still alive and ongoing, they're working on an improved model.

Jeff Head said:

Perhaps so...but they do have four LPDs already built and commissioned and a fifth is building. I believe that their plans for six will hold.

And LCACs are simply about the best way to take advantage of those assets. And if they do build LHDs and they put well deck in them (which they almost certainly will) I expect they would want LCACs for them too.

Yes, they have amphibious tanks...but those are one at a time things and carry very few troops. An LCAC can carry light armor and numerous troops, or individual large MBTs that otherwise cannot get to shore from the LPD.

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I really do not follow you here. It's actually LCACs that could only deploy tanks one at a time, we have seen pictures of 071 with dozens of amphibious tanks and IFVs in its well deck, all of them could deploy pretty much at the same time.

Taking LCACs, even a full complement of 4, means each 071 has to give up on those dozens of amph light tanks and IFVs in order to accommodate those LCACs, and could only deploy 4 MBTs at the same time.

LCACs have many advantages, their speed and ability to pass terrain and man-made obstacles that would seriously hazard traditional tracked tanks would be stand outs; as well as their ability to get really have armour ashore. However, being able to deploy large numbers of units quickly to target is not an advantage it has over a large force of amphibious tanks and IFVs.

However, for the PLAN, they need to not just look at abstract theoreticals, but also consider how it all applies to their current and future operational needs.

For any situation where the speed and all-terrain capabilities of an LCAC is needed, the PLAN could easily deploy Zubrs from either the mainland, or from one of the new island bases it built in the SCS. These Zubrs would be superior to the 726 in every conceivable way, removing much of the justification for needing 726s.

Without LCACs, the 071 would loose one of the main advantages of such types, but it would gain a substantial increase in the number of amphibious tanks and IFVs that they could carry and deploy into combat.

Rather than try and compete with Zubrs to fill a roll it has little chance of performing better at, it makes far more sense for the PLAN to use its 071s in a support role to its Zubrs to given the entire amphibious assault a far greater punch and success rate.

In any amphibious assault scenarios, the Zubrs will bring in the heavy armour while the 071s bring the numbers.

TBH, thinking back, I think that was always the PLAN's primary strategy, especially for a Taiwan scenario, which would have been their primary focus when both projects where started.

The LCAC programme is very much a contingency project, to develop the capacity to deploy heavy armour in theatres outside of the operational range of Zubrs, or in case the whole deal falls through for whatever reason.

The SCS would have been a possible theatre where the 071s would have had to operate without Zubr support. But with the green lighting of the island bases project, that too is now firmly within Zubr range. In addition, even before the new islands, one really struggled to see any situation where heavy MBTs would have been needed.

With the exception of Taiping island, pretty much all of the other disputed islands could be taken by shipboard marines in RIBS after their parent warships are done blasting the island defences to craters. So even then LCACs falls under the 'potentially useful to have but not really essential' category.

I think that low priority status is reflected in the slow pace and progress of the programme pretty much right from the start.

We only found it puzzling that they were taking such a long time with the LCAC because we were expecting the PLAN marine amphibious assault development to be a carbon copy of the USMC, which is a mistake in hindsight.

would think they would build four, or even eight more. I would have in fact expected to see more building already...but they haven't started doing that yet either that I can see.

Time will tell.

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Well, given the higher security, not seeing pictures doesn't really prove much these days. In addition, the Zubrs are small enough that they could be pretty much entirely built in sheds.

MwRYum said:

As for LCAC operate in SCS...if so, you'd see those islands comes with off-ramps for the LCAC to get ashore either for maintenance on land or load / unload men and hardware for operations. Such area will be dedicated to LCAC / Zubr operations instead of sharing with the airstrip to avoid FOD hazard to jets, layouts on concrete floor, large pavement connecting to the airstrip and the off-ramps all in connection, along with workshops and other support facilities will be a dead-on giveaway. So far, not even those US "think tanks" come up with anything either.

Yet, most of the SCS above-water islands or structures would be better off boarded with helicopters, as there are not that many islands in SCS that's be big enough to put the LCAC / Zubr to work, most of the occupied outposts are too small to warrant "assault" even.

That leaves, if the LCAC project is still alive and ongoing, they're working on an improved model.

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The whole point of the Zubr is that it doesn't need any ramp to get ashore. .

But you are probably confusing my meaning. I wasn't suggesting the PLAN would permanently forward deploy Zubrs to its SCS islands, that would be far too provocative a move.

The Zubr would only be sent down if tensions rise so much that armed conflict was a real possibility, hell, not even then. Zubrs will only be going down after hostilities have already broken out, and China has effectively won the fight, and is now looking to take full advantage of that win to take over all disputed islands and put the dispute firmly to bed for good.

In that respects, the Zubrs will not be staying at the islands for long. Just long enough to refuel, which they could do docked at the harbour, and then they will be off to take islands shock and awe style.

The SCS island bases will only be springboards rather than permanent FOBs for the PLAN.

Those islands will have a minimal peacetime military presence to not seem too intimidating and to not offer up too choice a target as to invite a pearl harbour.

plawolf said:

I really do not follow you here. It's actually LCACs that could only deploy tanks one at a time, we have seen pictures of 071 with dozens of amphibious tanks and IFVs in its well deck, all of them could deploy pretty much at the same time.

Taking LCACs, even a full complement of 4, means each 071 has to give up on those dozens of amph light tanks and IFVs in order to accommodate those LCACs, and could only deploy 4 MBTs at the same time.

LCACs have many advantages, their speed and ability to pass terrain and man-made obstacles that would seriously hazard traditional tracked tanks would be stand outs; as well as their ability to get really have armour ashore. However, being able to deploy large numbers of units quickly to target is not an advantage it has over a large force of amphibious tanks and IFVs.


In any amphibious assault scenarios, the Zubrs will bring in the heavy armour while the 071s bring the numbers.

TBH, thinking back, I think that was always the PLAN's primary strategy, especially for a Taiwan scenario, which would have been their primary focus when both projects where started.

The LCAC programme is very much a contingency project, to develop the capacity to deploy heavy armour in theatres outside of the operational range of Zubrs, or in case the whole deal falls through for whatever reason.

The SCS would have been a possible theatre where the 071s would have had to operate without Zubr support. But with the green lighting of the island bases project, that too is now firmly within Zubr range. In addition, even before the new islands, one really struggled to see any situation where heavy MBTs would have been needed.


I think that low priority status is reflected in the slow pace and progress of the programme pretty much right from the start.

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THE critical advantage of the LCAC is the OTH attack capability it provides. Four of them cam move a substantial number of IFV, other light armor, and troops well over 50 miles to shore. This is critical to the safety of the LPD, LSD< or KHD.

My point with the Tanks is that MBTs can be carried by LCACs - the heavy armor...the Amphibious tanks we see for the PLAN and the US are not their true MBTs. They are significantly smaller and less armored...which is why they can be amphibious. But they also do not have the range of an LCAC.

An LCAC can carry several LAVs or HUMVEEs along with troops troops, and its main advantage is that it can come at you from over the horizon and at significant speed.

The PLAN may not always have a shore they are invading where they can get in close enough to make those individual amphibious vehicles effective. If the beech is well defended with strong, dug in and highly protected artillery and/or air assets that make the battle space contested...then the LPD wants to be 10-20 miles offshore to mount its amphibious and air assault, going in with air assets from its carriers.

Anyhow, LCACs makes LPDs like the Type 071 are made much more flexible and safe.

And it is not justr the LCAC. The US also uses LCUs, which can carry heavier weights, they are just not as fast as the LCAC.

The LCUs fit into the well decks of the US Navy LSDs, LPDs, and LHDs also. Both the LCAC and the LCU can be coordinated to come at a beach from well over the horizon, and they can bring a lot of equipment and troops when doing so. Each LCU can carry at least two MBTs.

Here are some LCU pics:



The Chinese have an LCU type vessel...but it has not been designed for the Type 071/. I am surprised that they have not developed one yet. Tow US LCUs can typically fit intpo the well decks of the various ships. On the LHDs and some of the LSDs two of each (LCU and LCAC) can fit.

There is no reason at the PLAN cannot do the same.

Here is the Type 074A LCU:, and a suiggestion I made maybe five years ago on how to create one that could fit into the Type 071 LPD:





I am really surprised that the PLAN has not developed an LCU type vessels that can use those well decks.