List of active People's Liberation Army Navy amphibious watercraft

List of active People's Liberation Army Navy amphibious watercraft is a list of amphibious watercraft currently in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy. The following craft are primarily operated from large amphibious warfare ships such as the Type 071 amphibious transport docks of the PLAN. They are designed to transport troops and equipment from ship to shore.

Medium landing craft

Type 074 (Yuhai-class)

• Type 074 medium landing ship (NATO designation Yuhai-class) - 25 in active service.
• Type 073III landing ship medium (NATO designation Yudeng-class) - 1 in active service. Decommissioning
• Type 073IIY landing ship medium (NATO designation Yudao-class) - 2 in active service. Decommissioning
• Type 073II landing ship medium (NATO designation Yunshu-class) - 1 in active service. Decommissioning
• Type 79II landing ship medium (NATO designation Yuling-class) - 20 in active service. Decommissioning

Small landing craft

The Type 724 design is the mainstay of the PLAN hovercraft fleet. This is a small craft capable of speeds of up to 40 knots. Crewed by two or three, the design only permits ten infantry to be carried. The Type 724 operates primarily from the Yuting and Yukan class LSTs (each ship carrying two-four of these LCVPs). Although unable to carry larger numbers of infantry or any vehicles, the Type 724 nonetheless provides the PLAN with valuable experience in cushion deployments from amphibious ships far from shore. Its high speed and small size makes it a hard target to attack, and is ideal to insert small bands of marines or special forces. A second type was the Type 722II, a large indigenous design built in 1989 and the first to operate indigenously designed gas turbine engines. This craft could carry 100 infantry or 15 tons of cargo. It was retired from service in 2001. There are plans to develop an LCAC class that would be large enough to carry tanks and vehicles from large landing ships. The navy has also expressed great interest in the acquisition of Russian air cushion assault transports, particularly the Zubr class that could lift tanks and infantry.

Zubr-class LCAC

• Zubr-class LCAC (NATO designation Pomornik-class) - 4 in active service.
• Type 726 LCAC (NATO designation Yuyi-class) - Unknown number in active service.
• Type 724 LCAC (NATO designation Jingsah II-class) - 30 in active service.
• Type 722 II LCAC (NATO designation Jinsha II-class) - Unknown number in active service.
• Type 067 utility landing craft (NATO designation Yunnan-class) - Approx 100 in reserve. Steadily being disposed of
• Yuch'in-class landing craft mechanized (NATO designation Yuchin-class) - Approx 20 in reserve. Steadily being disposed of

See also

• List of active People's Liberation Army Navy ships