076 Amphibious Ship Leads China's Navy Power Revolution, Integrated Electric System Reaches the Top of the World

In a "August 1" promotional video released by CCTV Military on the 076-type amphibious assault ship "Sichuan", the major breakthrough in the design of the island structure has attracted widespread attention — both the front and rear island structures adopt a "1 large chimney + 3 small chimneys" layout. This unique structure directly corresponds to the power configuration of 2 high-power gas turbines and 6 diesel generator sets, marking the 076 as the world's first confirmed large amphibious assault ship to adopt a full-ship integrated electric propulsion system (IEP). China's naval ship power technology has thus achieved a leap forward, officially entering the ranks of world leaders.

The peak total power of the 076's power system is expected to reach the level of 80 megawatts, between that of the 052D destroyer (about 35 megawatts) and the 055 10,000-ton destroyer (over 100 megawatts). This powerful electricity is intelligently distributed through a medium-voltage direct current integrated power system, completely revolutionizing the traditional mechanical transmission mode:

Traditional mechanical propulsion systems require independent configuration of power units and power generation equipment, with an energy utilization rate of only 30%-40%; while the integrated power system uses all gas turbines/diesel engines for power generation (the 076 adopts a "2 gas + 6 diesel" combination), and the electricity is uniformly distributed to propulsion motors, radar, weapons, and onboard equipment, increasing the energy utilization rate to over 50%. With the same fuel reserves, the range is significantly increased, providing solid support for long-range deployment.

Sufficient power provides stable energy for the electromagnetic catapult system, which can greatly increase the launch efficiency of carrier aircraft (including drones); at the same time, it leaves interfaces for future high-energy laser weapons, electromagnetic railguns, and other new combat forces, enabling the 076 to have the technical potential to cope with future maritime warfare.

After adopting the integrated power system, the 076 has achieved multi-dimensional breakthroughs in battlefield performance: the heavy transmission shafts and gearboxes (main noise sources of traditional ships) are eliminated, and replaced with electrically driven propulsion motors, reducing underwater noise by 15-20 decibels. This improvement greatly reduces the probability of being detected by enemy sonar, especially beneficial for amphibious ships to approach landing areas covertly, enhancing tactical surprise.

The power layout is highly compact, saving up to 15% of the ship's space, creating more possibilities for personnel movement, material storage, and future upgrades; the system has a high degree of automation, reducing maintenance needs by 30%, achieving a qualitative leap in the ship's self-sufficiency, allowing it to execute missions continuously in distant seas.

The energy conversion efficiency of the electric motor exceeds 90%, with much lower cooling requirements than fuel engines, significantly reducing the infrared signal characteristics, lowering the risk of being locked onto by anti-ship missiles, and enhancing battlefield survivability.

The successful application of the 076 marks that China has achieved technological self-reliance and engineering capabilities in the field of shipboard integrated power globally leading, with its core advantages reflected in three aspects:

Firstly, the medium-voltage DC technology route is unique. It has overcome the frequent grid stability problems in similar systems (such as the UK's 45-class destroyers and the US DDG-1000), achieving efficient and reliable power supply systems. This route is one generation ahead of the medium-voltage AC technology adopted by the West, providing a better solution for full-electric propulsion of large ships.

Engineering scale and complexity are record-breaking. As the world's first large amphibious assault ship to adopt full electric propulsion, the 076's power system integration difficulty is extremely high, and its successful application lays a solid technical foundation for 100,000-ton aircraft carriers' full electric propulsion, verifying China's engineering capabilities in complex ship power systems.

Through energy storage modules such as flywheels and super capacitors (as configured on the Fujian), pulse load buffering ensures that the power grid is not affected when electromagnetic catapults or laser weapons fire, while also achieving a "one shot multiple charging" continuous operation cycle, solving the energy bottleneck for high-energy weapons on board.

With the team led by Academician Ma Weiming as the core of technological breakthroughs, China has become the only country in the world that has achieved comprehensive leadership in the field of integrated power systems in terms of "theoretical innovation, technological breakthroughs, and engineering applications." The 076 amphibious ship carrying an integrated power system is not just a simple technological iteration, but a strategic breakthrough in China's naval power system: China's medium-voltage DC technology route is one generation ahead of the West, and the successful application of the 076 verifies the maturity of the domestic IEP system in large and medium-sized ships, paving the way for the full electric propulsion of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in the future.

The integrated power system has changed the traditional pattern of "separate power and electricity" in ships, achieving centralized control and precise distribution of energy, creating conditions for the installation of disruptive equipment such as electromagnetic catapults and laser weapons, and promoting the transformation of naval warfare models toward "electric drive."

With the appearance of the "Sichuan," China's navy has significantly improved its power support capability for long-range operations. In the future, ships equipped with advanced integrated power systems will support China's fleet in executing tasks in broader oceans, with more far-reaching and confident voyages. The arrival of the 076 not only marks that China has reached the top of the world in ship power technology, but also indicates that a new competition track in global naval equipment has already opened — and China is standing at the forefront of this track.



Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7536827819414864424/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Welcome to express your attitude in the buttons below [top/beat].