Free Republic

As many of you know, I have been tracking the growth and modernization of the Chinese Navy (PLAN) for a number of years. Particularly their acquisition and refit of the former Russian Varyag which they launched last August. I also have a hobby for building 1/350 scale model military vessels and recently decided to build modern carrier strike groups (including the carrier and all of their escorts) for each major power. Trumpeter, a well known mode company announced the release of the new Chinese Carrier in January and I was able to get one directly from Hong Kong before they...

(Click on any image for a larger picture) The year of 2010 has seen the PLAN ramp up its shipbuilding again significantly. New units of the Type 054A FFG Guided missiles Frigate, the Xuzhou Class with radar reducing signatures, VLS missiles and helo capabilities. New units of the Type 052C DDG Guided missile Desroyer, the Lanzhou Class with VLS, Phased Array Radar (PAR), and an AEGIS style battle management system. New units of the Type 093 SSN, Nuclear attack Submarine, the Shang Class, with improved reactors, sensors, and weapons suite. New units of the SSK Independent Air Propulsion diesel/electric...

The Rising Sea Dragon in Asia 2006 Update I have been keeping a major web site up regarding the growth of the Chinese NAvy for the last four years. This is the 2006 Update. Throughout 2005 and 2006 the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has continued its unprecedented modernization and buildup, working on and procuring twelve seperate classes of major combatants. Increasing numbers of new guided missile destroyers, guided missile frigates, fast attack craft, very modern and quiet diesel/electric attack submarines, nuclear attack submarines, nuclear ballistic missile submarines, logisitic support craft, amphibious assault craft, and the infrastructure and aircraft...

THE RISING SEA DRAGON IN ASIA 2005 UpdateBy Jeff Head, February 2005 As an update to the original "Rising Sea Dragon in Asia", that I publiushed in January of 2004 (and have been writing and warning about since 2000), I offer this update, dated in February of 2005. This report is fairly short and broad, and I believe does not contain the detail necessary to reflect the true scope of the emerging threat. But it does clearly indicate the nature and size of the current Red Chinese buildup, and their is only one principle power that such a buildup...