Forbes
Surprise! The Chinese Navy Just Transformed This Cargo Ship Into An Instant Helicopter Carrier
David AxeContributor
Aerospace & Defense
'Zhen Hua 28' and a Z-8 helicopter.
Via Twitter
In a creative�some might say desperate�bid to bolster its amphibious fleet, the U.S. Navy in recent years has been building so-called �expeditionary sea-base ships� that are little more than commercial heavy-load carrier ships with a gray coat of paint and some military radios.
Now the Chinese fleet has demonstrated the same creativity�or desperation. A commercial heavy-load carrier flying a Hong Kong flag recently supported a Chinese naval exercise, functioning as a base for at least two army helicopters.
It�s not hard to imagine the same ship, or vessels like her, also functioning as a base for landing craft. These ships, taken up from trade, could quickly swell a Chinese invasion fleet.
(....SNIPPED)
