As for the so called "全能舰" (all-purpose warship), I'm not a fan of this idea. It's basically a modern-day battle ship. For coastal defenses, it's totally redundant, whereas for blue-water operations, you still need CVs with or without the all-purpose warships.
Future PLAN orbat discussion
- Thread starter kwaigonegin
- Start date
Any BRI contingencies are secondary. Plus China will likely have vastly more naval power in these scenarios
It's high-intensity conflict within the 2nd Island Chain which forms the key planning scenarios.
These scenarios are where the Chinese military would be hard-pressed to win
As for the conflict within the 2nd Island Chain, It may make sense to build a network of a lot of smaller and cheaper surface combatants with distributed sensors and weapons. However, whenever that kind of conflict really happens, it won't be an isolated event. The QUAD may block Indian Ocean trade routes as well. PLAN has to have that in mind. It will never be a solely 1st or 2nd Island Chains thing.
Chinese military superiority over the 1st Island Chain and the 2nd Island Chain is the key priority
There's no point in worrying about distant trade routes in the Indian Ocean if your homeports are being attacked
A 150-ish engagement range doesn't require overly powerful radar installation, by modern standards. It also won't bring significant role conflict b/n HQ-16 and HQ-9 equipped ships. Esp. so with ARH missiles.
1. I seriously suspect that it'll be done(if not already?) at some point in the future - simply by adding a lofted/semi-ballistic trajectory option.
2. The point of such capability is to keep at bay small-to-medium-sized, gliding(SDB) and/or powered(SPEAR) munition carriers.
It's not enough to just focus on the Island Chains.
Well, China's core territorial disputes are within the 1st Island Chain
China only cares about the 2nd Island Chain because outside military forces can project power from there
If China can achieve and hold its objectives within the 1st Island Chain and 2nd Island Chain, there's no reason for China to continue with any conflict
And if outside forces cannot dislodge China from the 1st Island Chain, there's no reason for outside forces to continue a conflict either
antiterror13
Brigadier
I think China has achieved military superiority within 1st island chain, now heading to to the much more challenging the 2nd island chain, I think it will be achieved in 2025
I think the Soviet Navy did a pretty good job balancing both needs, except they did not have the economic capacity to maintain such fleet. The Soviet had hundreds of Type-054A style frigates (but with older radars and no VLS), corvettes, and Foxtrot/Romeo for distributed coastal defense. Yet they also got ships like Kiev, Slava, Kirov, Akula, Oscar, etc. for projecting power on the open seas and protecting sea lanes of communication. I think Ma's all-purpose ships could fill the role of the Kirov and Slava, but with much greater land attack and ABM capabilities.
Totally disagree...