Military of China, force comment.
Military of China, force comment.

information Figure: Russia bison-class landing craft air cushion

Russia, “Izvestia” 22, citing the Russian Navy Command sources as saying the Russian navy will refuse to order the world’s largest “Maverick” class military hovercraft, because Teng funds to facilitate the construction of a “Northwest Wind” class amphibious assault ship loaded landing craft. However, such an adjustment of the Russian military equipment procurement news has something to do with China. Russian media have said that China has been interested in buying this land, “monster”, the purpose is to enhance the PLA’s landing capability. In this regard, there is Chinese military experts believe that the flexibility of this large landing ship slightly less than the land can only be implemented in the coastal waters, may not fully meet the demand from China.

Russian military equipment to adjust to link China

Russia, “Izvestia,” 22 reported that the Russian navy refused to order “Maverick” level after a large hovercraft, will produce a large number of various types of advanced landing craft, including the new conventional landing craft and hovercraft. The Russian military-industrial complex sources, the new volume will be significantly less than the hovercraft “bison” in order to facilitate a special landing craft to carry, including “Northwest Wind”-class amphibious assault ship. Currently, the Russian Baltic Fleet is also equipped with two “Maverick” hovercraft.

news network in 22 Russian military-related reports, China has also been involved. Reported that China has been interested in such a hovercraft. Earlier, Russia had to sell the type of hovercraft had long talks with China, but the two sides failed to reach agreement on price. In addition, Russia in technology transfer conditions are very harsh: China needs to buy 15 to get the finished product-related technical information. Therefore, Russia and the suspension of negotiations. In 2008, the sea between China and Ukraine signed a purchase four shipyards that this type of hovercraft contract, the amount of up to $ 315 million. Later, Russia’s intellectual property rights infringement on the grounds of the Wu block the deal.

landing craft in the “Big Mac”

“bison” is the world’s largest hovercraft hovercraft. The hovercraft development work began in the mid-1980s, the diamond in St. Petersburg, the Central Naval Design Bureau, mainly used to transport combat equipment and advance landing team, but can also transport the mines, laid mine barrier. It can carry three main battle tanks (total weight 150 tons), or 10 armored personnel carriers (total weight 131 tons), or 8 infantry fighting vehicles (total weight 115 tons). Landing ship has four compartments, landing a total of 140 persons seating capacity, if necessary, transport equipment in the compartments Removable seat, placed an additional 360 Marines, so that the total number to 500 carry. The ship is equipped with two AK-630 six 30 mm guns, eight sets of “pin-1M” or “Arrow-3M” missile launch system ,20-80 mines (using self-propelled mining system).

the former Soviet Union built a total of eight “Maverick.” After the disintegration, five to the Ukraine, Russia, leaving three, but now only two.

“bison” may not meet the needs of Chinese amphibious

for why China optimistic about this type of hovercraft, Russian military experts believe that China has a long coastline, This hovercraft will accomplish much in China, China won the hovercraft will substantially increase the landing capacity. “Han and defense review” had previously reported that once the Chinese equipment this hovercraft is bound to make the South China Sea and Taiwan national defense program complex.

However, a Chinese military experts believe that “Maverick” may not be fully in line with China’s needs. Hovercraft from the current development trend, the kind of assault by a large Liangbing dock landing ship medium-sized hovercraft is carried by the mainstream. Russian Navy is in line with the “Northwest Wind”-class amphibious assault ship abandoned to purchase “Maverick” and instead develop procurement similar to the U.S. LCAC hovercraft. LCAC air cushion landing craft this medium-sized general needs to rely on a large dock landing ship, amphibious assault operations. Therefore, although the holding force smaller LCAC, but relying on large-scale amphibious assault ship, can be implemented across the ocean attack, its delivery range is almost unlimited.

contrast, has not been able to hold “Maverick,” the dock landing ship or amphibious assault ships, hovercraft can only implement this large-scale operational within a few hundred miles, much of its operational flexibility discount. If China is equipped with “Maverick” class this hovercraft, only the implementation of the coastal landing, unable to support the implementation of the South China Sea. In addition, if there is not enough scale, this hovercraft even large-scale amphibious operations in coastal waters in the role will be limited. (Reporter Liu Yupeng Zhang Qi)

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