Thailand’s upcoming Type 071E landing platform dock completes sea trials in China

 

The Type 071E LPD for the RTN during sea trials. Photo c/o Weibo.

Chinese shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding based in Shanghai, has completed conducting the sea trials for the Type 071E landing platform dock bound for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN).

The ship, which will be named HTMS Chang (LPD-792) once commissioned with the RTN, was seen in a footage already at sea as of 11 November 2022, with RTN personnel also undergoing training and familiarization on the ship.

The landing platform dock was ordered on September 2019 under a THB 6.1 billion (US$200 million) contract between the RTN and China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC), and is scheduled to be delivered to the RTN by April 2023.

The Type 071E is based on the Type 071 built for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), with Thailand being the first export customer of the class.

The Type 071 is around 210 meters long and 28 meters wide, has a full load displacement of around 25,000 tonnes, and was designed to carry around 800 marines and 20 amphibious vehicles.

The ship also has a well-deck capable of handling two Type 726 / Type 726A landing craft air cushioned (LCAC), and two hangars and a flight deck to accommodate medium-sized transport helicopters.

Once in service, the HTMS Chang will be the largest ship in the Royal Thai Navy’s fleet, even larger than its small aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Naruebet (CVH-911) which is 183 meters long, and is also the largest ship with any navy in Southeast Asia.




[1] Naval News
[2] AAG Thai Defence Page
[3] Global Times