Designation: LPD
Length: 210 m (680 ft 0 in)
Beam: 26.5 m (86 ft 10 in)
Draft: 7 m (23 ft 0 in)
Displacement: 23,400 tons
Propulsion:
- CODAD, 2 shafts
- 4 x SEMT Pielstick 16 PC2.6 V400
- 35,200 kw Speed: 22 knots
Crew:
- 150-200 crew
- 800 troops
Airwing:
- 4 Z-8 Superfrelon helos
Armament:
- 1 x AK-176, 76mm gun
- 4 x 30mm AK-630 CIWS
- 4 x 18-tube Type 726-4 decoy/chaff launcher
Landing Craft:
- 4 x LCAC
- 2 x LCVP (On davits on each side)
Ships in class: 3

- LPD 998 - Kunlun Shan (昆仑山) (Active)
- LPD 999 - Jinggang Shan (井冈山) (Active)
- LPD 989 - Changbai Shan (长白山) (Active)
- LPD 978 - Tanggula Shan (唐古拉山) (Launching)
- LPD 979 - Tai Shan (泰山) (Building)
- LPD 980 - (Unnamed) (Planned)

The 1st Yuzhao Class amphibious transport dock, or landing platform dock (LPD) was built by Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard for the PLA Navy (PLAN). The first, the Kunlun Shan 998, was launched on 22 December 2006 and commissioned by the PLAN on 30 November 2007. The second ship, the Jinggang Shan 999, was launched in November of 2010 and commissioned in December of 2011. A third vessel, the Changbai Shan 989, was launched in September of 2011 and was commissioned by the PLAN in September 2012. A fourth vessel, 978, Tanggula Shan, was seen under construction in 2014 and will be launched in early 2015. A fifth is starting construction and a sixth is planned.

The first three vessels are a part of the Chinese Navy (PLAN) South Sea Fleet. The fourth thrpugh sixth will be a part of the Chinese Navy (PLAN) East Sea Fleet.

The Yuzhao Class LPD is currently the largest indigenously designed combat ship of the PLAN, with an estimated full displacement of 20,000 tonnes. The cargo capacity is thought to be in the same range as the U.S. Navy Austin class LPD. It is estimated that the Yuzhao LPD can carry a PLAN Marine battalion, including 500~800 troops, 15~20 amphibious armoured vehicles, and their associated logistic supplies.

The Yuzhao LPD offers much increased sea lifting capacity and operational flexibility not possessed by the earlier conventional tank landing ships (LST) in PLA Navy service. With its strong self-contained capability the LPD could operate far from friendly shores, projecting amphibious assets over distance of several thousand nautical miles. The large amount of space onboard also allows additional communications equipments to be added for the ship to act as a fleet command and control centre in an amphibious operation.

In addition to traditional amphibious assault, and air-assault roles, the Yuzhao LPD could also be deployed for a whole range of non-traditional missions, like providing a sea-based platform for helicopters to send humanitarian aid to disaster areas and to evacuate casualties and refugees from such an area; or evacuating citizens from conflict zones, or the center piece for a Surface Action Group conducting operations, like the anti-piracy operations in the Arabian Sea.

The docking system is located at the stern of the ship. A floodable bay can embark air-cushioned landing craft, conventional landing craft, and amphibious vehicles. Flooding of the docking area is achieved by ballasting the stern of the ship, allowing the landing craft to float. The Yuzhao was designed to embark 4 air cushion landing craft (LCAC).

A large helicopter flight deck at the stern is large enough to support the operation of 2-3 medium-size helicopters such as Z-8 helicopter. The same helicopter has also been operating from the PLA Navy’s Type 072-II Yuting class tank landing ship, carrying 30 armed troops to the landing zone on the beach, or behind the enemy lines. It is also worth noting that a full-scale mockup of a co-axial design helicopter was spotted on the ship’s flight deck while it was under construction, indicating a Russian design such as Kamov Ka-29 has also been considered.

The ship is equipped with a single-barrel 76mm main gun, which appears to be a copy of the Russian AK-176. The gun is located on the bow deck. There are four Russian-built AK-630 close-in weapon systems (CIWS). The ship is also equipped with four 50-tube 120mm multi-purpose rocket launchers, which could provide large area firepower against shore targets.

Sensors on the vessel consist of two Type 347G (one front, one rear) I-band radars which provide fire-control for the 76mm main gun and four AK-630 CIWS. The air/surface search radar is the Type 360S E/F-band, mounted at the top of the forward mast.