Posted on 02/10/2017 5:07:02 PM PST by Jeff Head
2017 Chinese Navy Review
General Introduction
The PLAN has continued its many year advance and naval buildup in numerous areas.
This is not new, in fact the news is that they sustain this naval growth and modernization as a very high rate of production and have done so now for a decade, year in and year out.
It is clear that the Peoples Republ;ic of China continues to move forward to buildup a naval power structure, along with the necessary infrastructure, to put to sea a naval force capable of challenging the US and her allies in the Western Pacific, and be able to protect her interests and her Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs), with forays away from the western Pacific into the INdian Ocean, the Mediterranean, and around Africa and South America whenever warranted.
She has already sent task forces into these areas and has maintained a 3-4 ship anti-pirating presence in the Arabian sea and the Gulf of Aden for the last several years at all times, which have included usually one destroyer, one or two frigates, and a replenishment vessel. Beyond that, the PLAN is embarking on regular, strong training exercises extending far from China's shores, with their new equipment. Their forces are making port calls in the MEd, the INdian Ocean, Europe, and the UNited States.
This report will focus on their aircraft carrier development, both their existing carrier, the Liaoning, as well as their first indigenous carrier which will shortly be launched, the Shandong, CV=-18, and their first CATOBAR carrier, which is now building.
It will also focus on all of their surface capability, from their newly building large Type 055 destroyer (really a cruiser sized vessel), their Type 052D main stay destroyers similar to the Burke class, their earlier fully integrated Type 052C DDG, their upgrades to the Sovremenny and Type 051C destroyers, and their large force of modern new Type 054A guided missile frigates.
In addition the report looks at the large force of new, light frgates, the Type 0656 which are very capable littoral vessels, their new large/fast replenishment vessels, and their continued develoment of their Type 071 LPDs.
We will talk about the Chinese submarine force, and though it is lagging behind in terms of very fast development, we talk about what they are accomplishing.
Finally, we will also, as an example of what they are doing in their other armed branched (because their build up and modernization covers all of their armed forces) we look at recent developments in the air force with their 5th GEneration Stealth fighter, the FJ-20, and their new modern transport aircraft, the Y-20 which is very remeniscent of the US C-17 cargo aircraft.
Aircraft Carrier>
The PLAN's only operational carrier, the Liaoning, continues its exercises and training of personnel and air wing.
This year the PLAN conducted its first carrier strike group exercises out in the deep water of the Pacific Ocean beyobnd the first island chain, showing what their carrier group can do. Their several years of training is now paying off as relatively moderate tempos of operations, both air operations and group manuevering were exercised.
The group consistsed of:
1 x CV-17, Liaoning Carrier
2 x Type 052D GUideded missile, aea air defense and general purpose destroyers
2 x Type 054A guided missile and general purpose frigates
1 x Type 093 nuclear attack submarine.
A replenishment vessel and a frigate escort were also a part of te exercises, visting and replenishing the carrier group as needed.
This entire group them made its way past Taiwan, traveling to the East of the ISland, and into the South China Sea to make a show of force there as the US has and continues to assert Freedom of Navigation through those critical SLOC in the ace of the People's Republic of China's claim to virtually the whole of the South China Sea, and as the PRC continues to improve the islands it has built around older sholas and reefs it claims, turning them into medium sized islands wwith several airfields, radar installations, and all of the infrastucture on those islands necessary to maintain the personnel, and in some caes their families. In addition, they have opened up some of them to vacationing and visits from the mainland.
The PLAN's second carrier, CV-17, Shandong
The Chinese made raapid progress on their first indegenous carrier, the CV-17 Shandong. This carrier is a virtual complete rebuild of the LIaoning carrier (which was originallly the 2nd Russian Kusnetsov carrier which the Chinese purchased as it sat in dry dock in the Ukraine after the USSR feell).
But the Chinese have made some improvements. They ave removed the 12 large vertical launch missile launchers for the large, long range anti surface/shipping missiles that the Russians built into the carrier and opened up more hanger space. They have reduced the size of and changed the configuartion of the island somewhat, and they have made deck rearrangements to enhance deck spotting and traffic of aircraft.
This carrier has Chinese boilers and propulsion, but is not gas turbine driven. It is stilla STOBAR carier with its ski-jump launching of the J-15 aircraft.
By the end of 2016 the carrier appeared to be virtually complete structurally and will probably launch in the 2nd quarter of 2017.
The Chinese are, with the rapid building of this carrier (2 1/2 years since it was laid down), making clear their intentiopn of building up a large deck carrier force.
The new Chinese AEGIS-like, Type 055 Cruiser
The Chinese have started building their large destroyers, the Type 055, which are actually cruiser sized vessels which will each carry 112-128 vertical launch missiles (VLS), long range, high performance phased array radars, and a two helicopter hanger. These vessels will also be armed with a 130mm main gun, close in weapons and missiles, torpedoes, and anti-submarine capabilities.
The VLS launchers are expected, like with their Type 052D destroyers, to be capable of mulitiple missile launches...meaning anti-air missiles, anti-shipping missiles, cruise missiles, and anti-submarine missiles.
It appears that at least two of these vessels, and potentially three are building a two different yards in China. it is expected that 12-18 of these vessels may be built and that they will be the Chinese equivalent of the US Ticonderoga class crusier.
The Chinese Type 052D AEGIS-like destroyer
The Chinese have continued the rapid buildup of their Type 052D destroyers. These vessels carry 64 VLS launchers and also have powerful phased array radars, a strong battle management system, a 130 mm main gun, a single helicopter hanger and pad, and close in weapons which include both a 30mm gatlin gun and a close in missile launcher similar to the US RAM system.
These vessels continue to be built rapidly. By the end of 2016 fifteen of these vessels had been launched, now from two yards, and eleven haven been commissioned since 2012 when the first was launched. This is a strong build rate, particularly when considering the Type 055 ramp up and the frigates that are continuing to be built.
These 7,500 ton displacement multi-purpose guided missile destroyers are being used to escort the Chinese carrier, their Amphibious vessels, particularly their Type 071 LPD which are similar in size and appearance to the US San Antonio class LPD, and as leaders of surface action groups (SAG) the Chinese are using to show the flag and protect their own SLOCs.
The Chinese Type 052D destroyer is the Chinese answer/equivalent to the US Arleigh Burke Destroyer class, though they carry fewer missiles and are 2,000 tons smaller than the US vessels which are generally considered as the most powerful and versatile destroyers available, although the Royal Navy's Type 45 Daring class is also a strong contender. But the RN has only six of their vessels, while the US have npow built upwards of 70 Arleigh Burke destroyers of various flights.
...read the rest of the article here:
PLAN 2017 Review on SinoDefense
Thank you, Jeff.
They look impressive and maybe a little scary. I dread the day they decide to go ahead and take over Taiwan. I am not sure we could stop them or even if we have the will to try.
How are you doing?
Good to see ya still kickin’.
Prayers up
At one time, maybe 1000 years ago China had the most powerful fleet in the world. It looks like they are trying to repeat.
Plus they and Russia have a closer than ever military alliance. They've been staging annual joint war games since 2005.
___________________________________
From the Sino-Russian Joint Statement of April 23, 1997:
"The two sides [China and Russia] shall, in the spirit of partnership, strive to promote the multipolarization of the world and the establishment of a new international order."
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/HI29Ag01.html
______________________________________________________________
"Joint war games are a logical outcome of the Sino-Russian Friendship and Cooperation Treaty signed in 2001, and reflect the shared worldview and growing economic ties between the two Eastern Hemisphere giants."
http://www.heritage.org/research/commentary/2005/09/war-games-russia-china-grow-alliance
Ping me when they build some real aircraft carriers. Those ski jump things are inferior to any and all of ours.
Yes, I’d say they are too, but... they do have some capabilities...
Russia is the country most at risk, not the United States.
They make really cool looking models of marginal utility.
Not to mention they have absolutely zero organizational experience or tradition of naval warfare. They don’t even trust their own stuff.
They have no proven battle tactics or weapons. In the past 200 years not one single Chinese sailor or ship has seen enemy fire. And if the US Navy is good at something, it’s good at making you see fire.
And you can hear their nuke subs for 100 miles.
We’ll continue to sail through the South China Sea at will. And the Chinese will not do jack about it.
Don’t underestimte them. They are sending a LOT ofmoney on execises and trining and developing these things to heir most capability. The J-15 is an improved version of the Su-33. it is lighter, has good strong engines, and modern electroni systems. Better than the SU-33 and can get airborne with more ordinance, and they have developed buddy stores capabilities.
So, yes, they are not as capable as our carriers...but that does not mean that in the hands of a very well trained and provisioned crew they are not dangerous, especially if we take them or granted. My Dad taught me that most people felt that the US would clean up with the Japs...but they fought us hard and sanke seeral of our major carriers in those battles. We cannot afford to discount them.
And they are on their way to building conventionally powered catapult carriers. One is building now in Shanghai and they will build a second. Their plans from there call for then moving to nuclear carriers similar to our own. I expect by the mid 2020s they are going to have six carriers plowing the waves in the Western Pacific and over towards the INdian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden...nothing to sneeze at.
Don’t underestimte them. They are sending a LOT ofmoney on execises and trining and developing these things to heir most capability. The J-15 is an improved version of the Su-33. it is lighter, has good strong engines, and modern electroni systems. Better than the SU-33 and can get airborne with more ordinance, and they have developed buddy stores capabilities.
So, yes, they are not as capable as our carriers...but that does not mean that in the hands of a very well trained and provisioned crew they are not dangerous, especially if we take them or granted. My Dad taught me that most people felt that the US would clean up with the Japs...but they fought us hard and sanke seeral of our major carriers in those battles. We cannot afford to discount them.
And they are on their way to building conventionally powered catapult carriers. One is building now in Shanghai and they will build a second. Their plans from there call for then moving to nuclear carriers similar to our own. I expect by the mid 2020s they are going to have six carriers plowing the waves in the Western Pacific and over towards the INdian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden...nothing to sneeze at.
They are developing their logisistical capabilities and their procedures and policies. They have been spending beaucoup money on that for the past ten years.
We cannot underestimate them.
As I say in the full report, they are vulnerable in the nuclear attack submarine area and we need to make sure that they know we will take advantage of that and reek hell on their subs, their surface fleet and on their commercial shipping if they ever dare face off against us.
IMHI, Trump should sale 12 SSNs (10 Virginias and two Sea Wolves through their, right outside their territorial waters from Shanghai all the way throught the South China Sea. MAke that one of our Freedom of Navigations exercises. Document the track and the dates...and then through back channels, after we do it a time or two...and they are unaware of it...let them know we did it and can unleash that hell on them anytime we choose.
Having said that, they are improving their airbornes ASW capabilities off their coasts and with their new Littoral ships working with their aireborne capabilities. And they are working over time and spending tons of money trying to solve their nuclear sub issues.
Actually, in the littorals, thier Yuan class, their Song Class, and their Kilos are dangerous...so we might want to be a little further out when we twist their back knot.
Money they make from the stupidity that supporters refer to as free trade.
Russia is the country at risk. Everything east of the Urals is at risk.
Yes, their diesel boats, as ALL diesel boats are hell waiting in shallow water.
That’s why they must be sunk when they come up for air.
They would get in a few shots, then cease to exist.
In a war time scenario, they would get in a couple of launches...revealing their position...and then they would be sunk quickly, and our own policies are set up to allow for that.
We would need to scower the shallow waters of them before we sent anything surface vessels in close.
But those same diesel/electrics with AIP do nt have the speed or endurance to touch our surface vessels on the high seas. They can only wait and hope we come close enough to them...or that we try and enter the shallow waters.
All of the carriers and all of the large amphibs are being fit with new high tech anti-torpedoe defenses. Both electronic and active defenses. The electronic will scramble their brains...the active are actually small anti-torpedo torpedoes that lock on the incooming torpedo and destroy it, either by direct hit, or an explosion in front of the incoming torpedo that destroyes it as a result of the blast radius expanding through the water into the oncoming enemy torpedo.
At the same time, if the Chinese surface vessels can get in range, their surface to surface missiles are advanced enough now to seek to saturate the AEGIS system.
This was thwe Soviet doctrine, and it is the Chinese doctrine as well.
Neither the Soviets or the Chinese got close enugh to our capability with their submarines. The new Russian Yassen class would be...but they are so cash poor that they have only been able to launch one of them with the second about to come out...they simply do not have enugh budget to build enough new things, while maintaining what they have...to be a serious competitor on the high seas. What they do have is not bad.
The Chinese on the other hand have the money to build their vessels in numbers...and they are doing so.
In a war time scenario, they would get in a couple of launches...revealing their position...and then they would be sunk quickly, and our own policies are set up to allow for that.
We would need to scower the shallow waters of them before we sent anything surface vessels in close.
But those same diesel/electrics with AIP do nt have the speed or endurance to touch our surface vessels on the high seas. They can only wait and hope we come close enough to them...or that we try and enter the shallow waters.
All of the carriers and all of the large amphibs are being fit with new high tech anti-torpedoe defenses. Both electronic and active defenses. The electronic will scramble their brains...the active are actually small anti-torpedo torpedoes that lock on the incooming torpedo and destroy it, either by direct hit, or an explosion in front of the incoming torpedo that destroyes it as a result of the blast radius expanding through the water into the oncoming enemy torpedo.
At the same time, if the Chinese surface vessels can get in range, their surface to surface missiles are advanced enough now to seek to saturate the AEGIS system.
This was thwe Soviet doctrine, and it is the Chinese doctrine as well.
Neither the Soviets or the Chinese got close enugh to our capability with their submarines. The new Russian Yassen class would be...but they are so cash poor that they have only been able to launch one of them with the second about to come out...they simply do not have enugh budget to build enough new things, while maintaining what they have...to be a serious competitor on the high seas. What they do have is not bad.
The Chinese on the other hand have the money to build their vessels in numbers...and they are doing so.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.