PLAN overseas deployment and excercises a list

18th escort task force in he Gulf of Aden

31 October

CHINA
A Chinese SONG class submarine and a submarine tender arrive at Colombo (Sri Lanka) for a scheduled visit.
(rmks: probably supporting 18th Chinese anti-piracy task group in operations off Somalia)

Click to expand...

AFAIK this is the second time a duo of a submarine and a submarine tender visits Colombo. Is it the same pair now going back or a new pair? Didn't China use submarines earlier in the Indian Ocean? What did the submarine tender do while the submarine was working near Somalia?

delft said:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

AFAIK this is the second time a duo of a submarine and a submarine tender visits Colombo. Is it the same pair now going back or a new pair? Didn't China use submarines earlier in the Indian Ocean? What did the submarine tender do while the submarine was working near Somalia?

Click to expand...

The tender ship reportedly accompanying the sub is the same 861 Chang Xing Dao from the Sept visit. I've read some report that the submarine is nuclear attack boat Changzheng-2, Han class 402. That's clearly wrong as 402 is widely regarded as having retired several years ago. So unless we see pictures of a Han in Colombo, I think it is most likely the same group that went to Somalia coming back.

shen said:

The tender ship reportedly accompanying the sub is the same 861 Chang Xing Dao from the Sept visit. I've read some report that the submarine is nuclear attack boat Changzheng-2, Han class 402. That's clearly wrong as 402 is widely regarded as having retired several years ago. So unless we see pictures of a Han in Colombo, I think it is most likely the same group that went to Somalia coming back.

Click to expand...

I wouldn't expect a tender to accompany a nuclear powered boat. IIRC a the previous visit the boat was a Song. But would the tender serve the boat at sea or only in Colombo, or use a port in Iran or Tanzania?

The North Sea Fleet of PLAN is forming the 19th Somalia Task Force: Frigates 547 Linyi, 550 Weifang, and Supply Ship 889 Taihu.

A.Man said:

The North Sea Fleet of PLAN is forming the 19th Somalia Task Force: Frigates 547 Linyi, 550 Weifang, and Supply Ship 889 Taihu.

Click to expand...

Interesting the last NSF unist were 528 and 538 and 889 has been out before for 6 months during the 15th and 16th missions

First time 547 and 550 are going out, great to see these missions can't wait for the 20th task force! Will be updating my table

Ok I have updated my table from page one to include the 19th anti piracy mission

asif iqbal said:

Ok I have updated my table from page one to include the 19th anti piracy mission

Click to expand...

This way you don't loose your "likes".

From Marine Forum Daily News:

19 November

RUSSIA – CHINA
In 2015, Russian and Chinese navies plan bilateral exercises not only in the Pacific but also in the Mediterranean ... no dates/details given.
(rmks: expect Chinese anti-piracy task group to participate after completing its operations off Somalia)

Click to expand...

delft said:

From Marine Forum Daily News:

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Click to expand...

Interesting if they are in the Mediterranean then could be after a anti piracy deployment

Could end up seeing up to half a dozen Russian and Chinese warships there

Also it's always good to transit the Suez Canal it's very good for the warships captains to experience this as it's a very busy transit point and also secuity concerns there are also on the increase especially at the "holding area" where ships stop at so called red lights waiting for their turn

Usually Egyptian army gives American and British warships a transit and drive along the canal road where threat levels are the highest