China's Use of Civilian Landing Craft: A Conversation with Thomas Shugart and Michael Dahm

In this episode of the ChinaPower Podcast, Thomas Shugart and Michael Dahm join us to discuss key findings from their new report, Flooding the Zone: The Use of Civilian Landing Craft (LCTs) in PLA Amphibious Operations. They examine how civilian landing craft could provide the PLA with over-the-shore lift several times greater than its traditional landing ships in a Taiwan scenario, bridging the gap between beach assaults and port access. The conversation explores the operational constraints and vulnerabilities of LCTs and how these developments fit into Beijing’s broader strategy and 2027 military modernization goals.

Thomas Shugart is an Adjunct Senior Fellow with the Defense Program at the Center for a New American Security. He served more than 25 years in the U.S. Navy as a submarine warfare officer, deploying multiple times to the Indo‑Pacific.

Michael Dahm is a Senior Resident Fellow at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies and a lecturer at George Washington University. He served as a U.S. Navy intelligence officer for over 25 years.