Type 072A-class (Yuting III)
Chinese landing ship tank, introduced in 2003, carries a crew of 120 sailors.
| Subtype | Tank landing ship |
| Displacement | 4800 tons |
| Crew | 120 members |
| Width | 16.4 m (53.8 ft) |
| Length | 120.0 m (393.7 ft) |
| Propulsion | Two diesel engines, twp shafts |
| Range | 3000 km at 14 knots |
| Maximum speed | 17 knots |
- 1 x twin 37 mm guns (Batch 1)
- 1 x H/PJ-17 30 mm gun (Batch 2)
- Helipad for two medium helicopters
Description
The Type 072A, designated by NATO as the Yuting II-class, is a landing ship tank operated by the People’s Liberation Army Navy. It is a development of the Type 072II and Type 072III designs. Construction was carried out at the Dalian, Fujian, Zhonghua, and Wuhan shipyards. Ships of the class are named after mountains in China.
The vessel features a vehicle deck extending the full length of the ship, with bow doors and a stern ramp for loading and unloading. A tunnel through the superstructure connects the forward and rear decks. Aviation facilities include a helipad capable of supporting medium helicopters. The ship is configured to transport armored vehicles and troops.
The class was produced in two batches. The initial group entered service between 2003 and 2005. A subsequent batch, including ships built at the Wuchang and Fujian shipyards, began entering service in 2015. The primary gun armament was updated for the second production group.
Vessels are active across the North Sea Fleet, East Sea Fleet, and South Sea Fleet. Operational service has included amphibious landing exercises and patrols in the waters off eastern Taiwan.