"Passing the 'Graduation Exam', Hubei Ship 'Certified to Operate'"

[Global Times Report, Reporter Guo Yuandan] "China Military News" announced on the 10th the latest developments of the PLA's 075-type amphibious assault ship Hubei: The Southern Theater Command Navy organized a full training assessment for the 075-type amphibious assault ship Hubei. Military experts interviewed by the Global Times stated that the successful completion of the full training assessment for the Hubei means "certified to operate," and it can be deployed to the front lines at any time.

Passed on three levels

According to reports, the Hubei conducted a full training assessment, with the ship formation organizing multiple subject assessments such as naval gun air defense and underwater self-defense in a training area in the South China Sea. Footage released by CCTV shows the naval guns firing simultaneously for air defense, with the target aircraft being accurately locked on and instantly turning into a fireball as it fell into the sea.

Military expert Zhang Junsha stated in an interview with the Global Times on the 11th that "the successful completion of the full training assessment means that the ship's combat capability has passed practical verification, marking that the ship has acquired complete combat capability and has officially formed combat power."

He indicated that the verification of combat capability is mainly reflected in three aspects. First, the equipment systems have passed practical verification, and the technical and tactical standards have been met. Second, the skills of the personnel on board have reached the standard, allowing them to proficiently master equipment performance and accurately operate weapon systems, achieving "man-machine integration." Third, the various positions and systems on the ship can coordinate and cooperate, with the joint combat capability meeting practical requirements. This assessment simulated a real battlefield environment, testing the crew's coordination, on-the-spot handling, and comprehensive abilities under complex sea conditions, proving that the team can "clench a fist" and form a cohesive combat force.

According to Zhang Junsha, the successful completion of the full training assessment is a key step in forming combat capability after the ship is commissioned. The ship's commissioning only provides the hardware conditions; comprehensive training and assessment must be conducted to truly form practical combat capability. "Passing the assessment means that the ship has passed the 'graduation exam' and has the ability to independently carry out combat readiness patrols, escort missions, and real combat confrontations, allowing it to officially enter the combat sequence and undertake combat readiness duties."

Combat capability formed in just one year

The Hubei was commissioned on August 1, 2025, and has achieved full training qualification in just about a year. Zhang Junsha commented, "This speed is very fast. Completing high-difficulty subjects such as naval gun air defense and underwater self-defense in such a short time and passing smoothly fully reflects the rapid speed of its combat capability formation."

The rapid formation of combat capability for the Hubei is undoubtedly related to the increasing maturity of the equipment. The Hubei is the fourth ship of the 075-type amphibious assault ship, with the Hainan, Guangxi, and Anhui providing rich construction and service experience for the Hubei.

"The equipment technology has reached a high level of maturity, significantly shortening the equipment adaptation period, allowing the ship to quickly form combat capability after commissioning." Zhang Junsha analyzed that the seamless connection of personnel training is also one of the important factors. Before the Hubei was commissioned, the crew had undergone follow-up training, familiarizing themselves with equipment operation processes and practical training standards, achieving the replication of talent experience. After commissioning, through high-intensity practical training and precise subject preparation, the results of daily training were rapidly transformed into practical verification, significantly shortening the combat capability generation cycle.

"More importantly, it benefits from the systematic support and efficient coordination of the Navy's training." Zhang Junsha stated that the Navy's training system is continuously improving, with efficient coordination achieved in the ship's trial sailing, commissioning, training, and assessment phases, resulting in closer interaction between various positions and significantly enhancing the overall operational chain's efficiency, providing solid support for the ship's rapid formation of practical combat capability.

Assessment scenarios close to real combat

It is worth mentioning that Chinese media also disclosed new assessment subjects for the Hubei. According to "China Military News," during several days of sailing, the directive code reached number 100, with each representing a question waiting for the entire crew to answer. During the assessment process, there were both assessments combined with practical training plans and assessments temporarily deployed by the directing group.

Currently, the People's Navy has a total of four 075-type amphibious assault ships, deployed in the Eastern and Southern Theater Commands, forming a configuration of two ships each in the East China Sea and South China Sea directions. "This deployment pattern is related to the strategic needs of the East and South directions, aiming to achieve precise regional deployment and systematic joint operations." Zhang Junsha stated, "In the East China Sea direction, facing the Taiwan Strait directly, the amphibious assault ship can quickly deploy landing forces, enhancing the ability to rapidly seize and control targets, forming a strong deterrent against 'Taiwan independence' forces, and safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity. In the Southern direction, the amphibious assault ship's deployment focuses on island reef rights protection and long-range amphibious deployment tasks. In response to disputes over South China Sea islands and reefs, this type of ship provides core support for island reef defense and rapid troop deployment."