Yukan-class (Type 072)

The Type 072 class (NATO reporting name: Yukan) is a series of tank landing ships built for the People's Republic of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Developed to replace World War II-era, American-built landing ships, a total of seven vessels were completed. Shipbuilding records indicate construction may have occurred at the Wuhan Shipyard, with the first vessel completed in 1980, or at the Zhonghua Shipyard, with units entering service between 1978 and 1995.

The design features a bow ramp capable of handling a 50-ton load and a rear ramp designed for a 20-ton load. The ships carry two American-designed landing craft vehicle personnel (LCVPs) and are equipped with two Type 753 navigation radars. A variant of this design was developed as a supply and ammunition ship class (NATO reporting name: Yantai). This variant features a shorter forecastle, a blunt bow without a ramp door, and cargo cranes positioned fore and aft of the superstructure. Three of these supply vessels were built by the Zhonghua Shipyard and entered PLAN service in 1992.

The primary Type 072 vessels began entering service in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The first of the class, Yuntaishan (hull number 927), entered service in 1979 and served in the East Sea Fleet until its decommissioning on July 7, 2020. Wufengshan (hull number 928) served in the East Sea Fleet until 2013, transferred to the South Sea Fleet, and was decommissioned on July 30, 2020. Zijinshan (hull number 929) entered service in 1982 with the East Sea Fleet and was decommissioned on July 7, 2020. The remaining four vessels of the base class—Lingyanshan (930), Dongtingshan (931), Helanshan (932), and Liupanshan (933)—remain active with the East Sea Fleet. All three supply ship variants also remain active, with hull numbers 745 and 938 assigned to the South Sea Fleet, and hull number 757 assigned to the East Sea Fleet.