THE RISING SEA DRAGON IN ASIA - 2015 UPDATE
By Jeff Head - Last Update: January 01, 2015
2014 was another very significant year for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), the Navy of the People's Republic of China. It cannot be over-emphasized how important the building program, the training activities, and the deployments that have all gone on in the last year are to the PLAN and its ability to project power, defend and assert its influence, and, as a blue water fleet, to carry that influence across the seven seas. In fact, in this last year, even more than the year before, the PLAN has been doing just that.
For example, for the first time, the PLAN was invited to attend the very well known and popular RIMPAC exercises hosted by the US Navy off of Hawaii. Typically these exercises are for close US Allies and represent an opportunity to spend several weeks working together as allies in classroom situations, ground exercises, and large joint-naval exercise to exercise their communications, combat, and maneuvering capabilities. The US regularly invites some nations who are not officially allied to participate in maritime security and humanitarian exercises, and in 2014 the PLAN was invited to participate in those areas. The PLAN attended with their Peace Ark Naval Hospital Ship, one of their Type 054A guided-missile frigates, one of their Type 052C guided missile destroyers, and one of their replenishment vessels. A four ship task force which was, outside of the US Navy presence, the largest naval task force attending.
In addition the PLAN has continued to send numerous other task forces on deployments to other joint exercises in the Western Pacific, into the Mediterranean (with the Syrian crisis), to several places in South America, into the Atlantic Ocean and again on anti-pirating missions into the Gulf of Aden. In the South China Sea, the PLAN is showing and maintaining its presence in increasing numbers with large task forces centered on their new Amphibious assault vessels and their aircraft carrier (which itself entered a maintenance period late in the year). The PRC has also embarked on a large reclamation effort of a massive scale in he South China Sea where they are enlarging their island holdings and bases, and creating islands along reefs that they hold. These projects are on a very impressive scale and cannot be underestimated.
Finally, the PLANs (and its sister forces) continue on very aggressive building programs. From aircraft like the PLAN J-15 and the PLAAF's J-20 fifth generation stealth fighter, the light frigates (Type 056), to their continued guided-missile frigate (Type 054A) program, to the last of their Type 052C DDGs, to more and more of their newer Type 052D destroyers, and now to what is clearly going to be a heavy destroyer or cruiser sized vessel in their new Type 055 project. In addition, a fourth Type 071 LPD is being launched with at least two more building, which will make for six of those LPDs which are similar in size and function to the US San Antonio Class LPDs, and more Type 903A Replenishment vessels being built and launched.
NOTE: The full version of this report can be read at Jeff Head's , where over 80 photos are included in the full write-up. Also, see all the images in much higher resolution at the
PLAN Naval Operations:
Joint exercises with the US, with the Russians, with India, with Pakistan, in the Mediterranean helping escort the disposal of the Syrian chemical weapons, in the Gulf of Aden anti-piracy mission, and in numerous PLAN voyages and exercises are becoming the standard fair for annual activities for the PLAN. This is a tremendous change over the last decade which has taken the PLAN away from green coastal waters around China and within the 1st island chain, to literally voyaging and exercising all over the world.
PLAN Multi-National Joint exercises
PLAN participating in RIMPAC 2014, See all RIMPAC 2014 photos
Finishing the Type 052C DDGs and continued serial production of Type 052D DDGs:
The last Type 052C destroyers (which are similar in function to the US Navy Arleigh Burke class, albeit smaller and with systems not quite as advanced) have been completed launched and either commissioned or in the process of commissioning. Three more, making a total of six vessels have come out. In addition, the PLAN is now rapidly building their newer Type 052D destroyers which have a stronger phased array radar and a true VLS system which can allow for multiple missile types similar to the US Mk-42 VLS. Last year the first ship was launched and put in trials. It has since been commissioned, and the second has gone through trials and is about to be commissioned. The 3rd is about to go into trials with the 4th is outfitting. The 5th has been launched, the 6th is nearing launch, and the seventh is constructing in their long hall, where two vessels can be constructed at once.
The PLAN is about to commence building these at a second yard now, in Dalian.
Type 052D Destroyers
PLAN continues rapid serial production of Type 056 light frigates:
The building of the Type 056 light frigate, which is, in essence the Chinese Littoral Combat Ship, is proceeding at four separate yards, at a very rapid pace. These vessels do not have a hanger, but they do have a helo landing pad and facilities to service ASW helos while underway for ASW operations. They are armed with four long range anti-surface/shipping missiles, a 76mm dual purpose rapid fire main gun, two 30mm secondary auto cannons, and two triple tube anti-submarine torpedo launchers. These ships are significantly more heavily armed than the larger and much more expensive
US Navy Littoral Combat Ships. Although they are significantly slower in terms of speed than the LCS, they would have to be viewed as a very serious threat to any US Navy LCS operating anywhere near them. The US LCS has a 57mm gun and has (to date) no long range anti-surface missile), but are capable of carrying two medium to large sized helicopters in their hangers independently.
The Chinese have built 24 of the Type 056 vessels in the last 3-4 years.
Type 056 Light Frigates or Corvettes
PLAN shows off new, full scale mockup of Type 055 Large Destroyer/Cruiser being used for training:
Throughout 2014, the PLAN made significant progress on a new, full scale mockup of their new Type 055 crusier sized vessel, expected to displace 11-12,000 tons.
This facility is similar to the full-scale mockup of the that they built for training purposes. it is expected that in the near future they will start building the first (perhaps two) of these vessels. They will increase the VLS launchers from 64 on the Type 052D destroyer to at least 96 on this vessel, with a larger hanger, the new 130mm dual purpose main gun also on the Type 052D destroyer, and other innovations.
Type 055 Cruiser full scale mock-up
PLAN starts up Type 071 LPD building again with 4th, 5h, and 6th vessels:
After building its first three large LPDs, the PLAN has gone several years without adding any new ones. All three of the first ones were assigned to their South Sea Fleet. This year, the 4th LPD, which had started last year rapidly took shape and was launched late in the year with a fifth starting, and sixth in line. All three of these vessels, which are very similar in tonnage, shape, and function to US Navy San Antonio Class LPDs, will be assigned to the PLAN East Sea Fleet.
4th Type 071 LPD building
PLAN conducting massive reclamation efforts in the South China Sea:
For years there has been concern that the Chinese would attempt to extend its holding in the South China Sea with adventurism and potentially finding, or making, reasons to acquire other islands or reefs controlled by its smaller neighbors. Instead, over the last several years, but particularly in the last two years (which has become evident in 2014) the PRC has embarked on massive reclamation projects which are literally creating new islands along reefs in the South China Sea and significantly enhancing and increasing the size and capabilities of islands they already own.
This is allowing them to significantly strengthen their position in the South China Sea for control of the resource rich area.
People's Republic of China massive land reclamation projects in the South China Sea.
PLAN completing the building of its Type 054A Guided missile frigate fleet:
Over the last several years the PLAN has been building a fleet of its modern Type 054A frigates which displace in the 4,000 ton range,. These are modern, stealthy, and capable multi-role frigates capable of anti-shipping, ant-submarine, and anti-air defense, including area air defense. The last of the twenty two vessels has now been launched amid rumors and speculation that the shipyards will now begin building an improved Type 054B variety utilizing their newer VLS system they have now installed on the new Type 052D destroyers with multiple missile type launch capabilities.
Last Type 054A FFG launched and outfitting.