The fifth Zubr-class large air-cushioned landing craft (LCAC) under construction was spotted at the Huangpu Shipyard in southern China.
In 2009, China placed an order for four vessels from Ukraine as part of a deal worth 315 million USD. Ukraine has successfully performed its part of the contract for construction of the first two ships at the facilities of FSK More in Feodosia and has already handed them over to the customer. Two more vessels were built in China with the participation of Ukrainian specialists.
The Zubr class is a class of air-cushioned landing craft (LCAC). This class of military hovercraft is the world’s largest, with a standard full load displacement of 555 tons. In Ukraine vessel named as «Bison».
According to navyrecognition.com, the Zubr class craft has a length of 57 meters and a beam of 20 meters. The displacement of the ship is 535 tons and the draft is 2 meters. It is powered by high-temperature gas-turbine engines. Four fans with a diameter of 2.5 meters provide an air cushion for the ship. The ship is propelled by another three variable-pitch propellers of 5.5 meters in diameter and develops a speed of 70 knots.
The People’s Liberation Army navy gave a Ukraine-made Zubr-class hovercraft its debut during a t drill in mid-2015, indicating the Chinese navy had achieved a stronger landing capability. In the landing exercise carried out in mid-July by a squadron under the PLA navy’s South Sea Fleet, the assault force sent tens of amphibious combat vehicles to approach the landing site.
