Type 726 LCAC

Type 726 LCAC
Class overview
BuildersJiangnan Shipyard
Operators People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force
Preceded byType 724 LCAC
In commission2010
Building5[1]
Active16[1]
General characteristics
TypeAir-cushioned landing craft
Displacement
  • 150 tons (normal)
  • 160 tons (full load)
Length33 metres
Beam16.8 metres
Propulsion2 gas turbine engines
Speed80 knots[2]
Range320 km[2]
Complement
  • 5 crew
  • 60 - 70 troops
  • 1 Type 96 main battle tank or 2 ZBD-05 infantry fighting vehicles
Armament
  • 2 x 14.5 mm machine guns
  • 2 x 7.62 mm light machine gun

The Type 726 LCAC (with NATO reporting name Yuyi class) is a class of air-cushioned landing craft used by the People's Liberation Army Navy. Six Yuyi-class LCACs are believed to be in service with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), with the first one (3320) being seen at the end of 2007. It is thought that the vessels were delivered in two batches, with the first three LCACs reportedly powered by Ukrainian UGT 6000 engines, while the other subsequent production models are believed to use indigenous QC-70 gas turbines. Up to four Yuyi-class LCACs can be carried in the well deck of the Yuzhao-class landing platform dock (LPD) and Yushen-class landing helicopter dock (LHD).

The Type 726 LCAC is greater in size than the US LCACs in service, but smaller than the Zubr-class LCAC and can carry only one main battle tank (e.g., Type 96) or four armored vehicles.

The early variant, the Type 726, have encountered a number of technical problems that temporarily halted production of the class. This forced the four Type 071 LPDs to limit their projection capabilities to landing craft, amphibious IFVs and helicopters exclusively (not main battle tanks). However, recent commercial satellite imagery of China’s Jiangnan Shipyard near Shanghai shows that the country is producing additional Yuyi-class LCACs. Eight Type 726As that appeared to be nearly completed could be seen at the yard on 14 October 2020.

Eight Type 726s were seen at a Chinese at Damiao Naval Base on Nansan Island on 26 September 2020.

Ships of the class

Pennant Number Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status
Type 726
3320 Jiangnan Shipyard 2011 South Sea Fleet Active
3321 Jiangnan Shipyard 2013 South Sea Fleet Active
3322 Jiangnan Shipyard 2013 South Sea Fleet Active
Type 726A
3330 Jiangnan Shipyard 2016 South Sea Fleet Active
3331 Jiangnan Shipyard 2016 South Sea Fleet Active
3332 Jiangnan Shipyard 2016 South Sea Fleet Active
3236 Jiangnan Shipyard 10 January 2018[3] East Sea Fleet Active
3237 Jiangnan Shipyard 10 January 2018[3] East Sea Fleet Active
3238 Jiangnan Shipyard 10 January 2018[3] East Sea Fleet Active
3239 Jiangnan Shipyard 10 January 2018[3] East Sea Fleet Active
3333 Jiangnan Shipyard 2019 South Sea Fleet Active[4]
3334 Jiangnan Shipyard 2019 South Sea Fleet Active
3335 Jiangnan Shipyard 2019 South Sea Fleet Active[4]
3336 Jiangnan Shipyard 2019 South Sea Fleet Active[4]
3337 Jiangnan Shipyard 2019 South Sea Fleet Active[4]

Operators

 China

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "China building more Yuyi-class LCACs". Jane's 360.
  2. ^ a b "China Started Serial Production of New Type 726A LCAC for PLAN". Navy Recognition.
  3. ^ a b c d "中国野马登陆艇四艘同时交付 我军两栖作战信心十足". Sina.
  4. ^ a b c d "终于不是蓝精灵!野马气垫艇与直升机立体协同登陆". Sina.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Nuclear
ballistic missile (SSBN)
Nuclear attack (SSN)
Conventional
ballistic missile (SSB)
Conventional
attack (SS/SSK)
Air-independent propulsion
equipped (SSI/SSP)
Hunter-killer (SSK)
Medium (SS)
Unclassified miscellaneous (IXSS)
Aircraft carriers (CV)
Destroyers (DDG)
  • Project 956EM Sovremenny II class
  • Project 956 Sovremenny I class
Frigates (FFG)
Coastal warfare vessels
Corvettes (FS)
Submarine chasers (PCSC)
Armed merchantmen (SP)
Missile boats (PCM)
Torpedo boats (PT)
Gunboats (PG)
Patrol boats (PB)
Seagoing
Port security boat (PSB)
Reconnaissance patrol combatant (PGR)
Landing helicopter dock (LHD) or
Landing helicopter assault (LHA)
Amphibious transport dock (LPD)
Dock landing ship (LSD)
Landing ship helicopter (LSH)
Landing ship tank (LST)
Landing ship medium (LSM)
Landing craft (LC)
Landing craft tank (LCT)
Landing craft utility (LCU)
Air-cushioned
landing craft (LCAC)
Minelayers (ML)
Auxiliary minelayers (MMA)
Minehunters (MH)
Minesweepers (MS)
Minesweeping
drone (MSD)
Auxiliary Minesweepers (MSA)
Ammunition
ships (AE/AEM)
Ammunition ship (AE)
Ammunition ship, Missile/Rocket (AEM)
Buoy tenders (AGL)
Cable layers (ARC)
Cargo ships (AK)
Reefer ships (AF)
Cargo ships (AK)
Float-on/float-
off ships (AKF)
General stores
issue ships (AKS)
Roll-on/roll-
off ships (AKR)
Container ships (AKX)
  • Converted/militarized container ships
Self-propelled
lighters/barges (YF)
Crane ship (AB)
Degaussing /
deperming ships (ADG)
Dive tenders (YDT)
Dredgers (AGD)
Engineering
ships
  • Engineering ships of unknown class/type: Bei-Gong 275 & 276
Environmental
research ships (AGER)
Fleet Replenishment
ship (AEFS)
Floating pile drivers (YPD)
General purpose
research ships (AGE)
Harbor utility
craft (YFU)
Hospital ships (AH)
Hospital ships (AH)
Medical evacuation ships (AHP)
  • Zhuanghe
Ambulance transports (APH)
Ambulance craftd (YH)
Hydrographic
survey ships (AGS)
Icebreakers (AGB)
Museum ships
Oceanographic
research ships (AGOR)
Oceanographic
surveillance ships (AGOS)
Personnel
transport (AP)
Barracks ships (APB)
Dispatch boat (YFB/YFL)
Transport ships (AP)
Troopships (APT)
Range support &
target ships (AGT)
Repair ships (AR)
Repair dry
docks (ARD)
Repair ships (AR)
Rescue and
salvage ships
Heavy-lift ship (YHLC)
Rescue ships (ARS)
Salvage ships (ATS)
Spy ships (AGI)
Submarine
support ships
Submarine
rescue ships (ASR)
Submarine tenders (AS)
Submersibles (X)
Deep-submergence
rescue vehicle (DSRV)
Deep-submergence
vehicle (DSV)
Other
Submersibles (X)
Diver propulsion
vehicles (DPV)
Tankers
Replenishment tanker (AOR)
  • Hua Chuan
Transport oiler (AOT)
Water tanker (AWT)
Technological
research
ships
Sonar trials ships
Technical research
ships (AGTR)
  • Mirage Hunter
Unclassified Miscellaneous
Submarine (IXSS)
Torpedo trials craft
Torpedo retrievers
(TR/TWR)
Torpedo trials ships (YTT)
Tracking ship (AGM)
Training ships (AX)
Training ship (AX)
Training ship, sail (AXS)
Onshore stationary
training facilities
Tugs (AT)
Harbor tug (YT)
Large harbor tug (YTB)
Rescue Tug (ATR)
Sea-going Tug (ATA)
Tugs of unknown class/type
  • Bei-Tuo 153, 651, 704, 728, Dong-Tuo 845, 861, Nan-Tuo 142, 163, 168, 176, 187, 188
UAV mothershps (ATLS)
Unmanned surface
vehicles (USV)
Unmanned underwater
vehicles (UUV)
Autonomous
underwater vehicle (AUV)
Benthic landers
Bottom crawlers
  • Aquadrobotman series
  • CSSC series
  • Deepinfar series
  • JUST series
  • Robosea series
  • SBSS series
  • Sea Crab
  • Sea Star
  • THLMT unmanned vehicles#Underwater series
  • VVLAI series
Hybrid UUVs (Autonomous remotely
-operated vehicles, ARVs)
Remotely operated
underwater vehicle (ROUV)
Underwater gliders
  • Flying Wing
  • Petrel series
  • Sea Soar series
  • Deepinfar Sea Wing series
  • THLMT series
Wave gliders
  • CSSC series
  • Hydrovo series
  • Ostar series
  • THLMT Black Pearl
Weapon trials
ships (AVM/AGM)
* = Under construction or procurement, CG= Classified as guided missile cruiser by NATO, FF= Classified as light frigate by PLAN