Asia-Pacific Countries Enhance Amphibious Naval Capabilities to Counter China

Navies across the Asia-Pacific region are enhancing their amphibious operations capabilities in response to China’s growing military presence, particularly to safeguard their intricate coastlines. In New Zealand, there’s a noted concern over regional security with countries like Japan and Australia leading initiatives to fortify their defenses. Japan, for instance, is expanding its fleet of amphibious vessels by procuring different types of landing crafts to be prepared by Fiscal Year 2027, aiming to improve transport functions to its islands amidst heightened security concerns.

The Japanese Maritime Transport Group will soon welcome various types of ships to bolster Japan’s defense strategy against potential Chinese intrusions, especially in its vulnerable southwest archipelago. The addition of two 3,500-ton Logistics Support Vessels, four 2,400-ton Landing Craft Utility, and four maneuver support vessels will support Japan’s Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, enhancing the country’s ability to respond to territorial threats.

In a similar vein, Australia is also advancing its naval capabilities by introducing 18 new Landing Craft Medium and eight Landing Craft Heavy to support its strategic defense objectives. The new crafts, designed by Birdon Group and Damen Shipyards, are set to commence construction, with specific timelines targeted for their operational readiness by 2026 and 2028 respectively, highlighting the urgency with which Australia is seeking to upgrade its littoral warfare capabilities.

Other countries in the region are following suit. The Philippines has augmented its naval transport capacity with the Tarlac-class landing platform docks, with additional vessels under construction in Indonesia to be delivered by 2026, enhancing its ability to contend with Chinese activities in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, Taiwan and India are in various stages of improving their amphibious capabilities, with Taiwan recently commissioning a new large amphibious transport dock and India still in the planning stages of acquiring similar vessels, reflecting the broader regional strategy to counterbalance Chinese military expansion.