THE RAPID GROWTH AND MODERNIZATION OF THE CHINESE NAVY

THE RAPID GROWTH AND MODERNIZATION OF THE CHINESE NAVY
By Jeff Head - Last Update: December 1, 2006

This article is not meant to be an indepth technical analysis. It is simply meant to graphically display the enormous amount of building activity that has been going on in the Chinese shipyards for the last few years and what they are producing. The pictures of the shipyard activity speak for themselves. Pictorial sections on current training by the Red Chinese with their new vessels and pictures of the already commissioned vessels are also included.

The shipbuilding pictures come from various online sources that include tourists, business travelres, Chinese citizens, offical Chinese pictures, and enthusiasts. They are current and represent the unprecedented Chinese buildup, where the PLAN is bulding and/or acquiring an amazing thirteen new modern major combatant classes simultaneously, with multiple copies of each ship being built, either simultaneously, or in series production. Those classes include:

Type 051C, Shenyang Class DDG, new area air defense destroyers
Type 052C, Lanzhou Class DDG area air defense destroyer. Phased array radar, VLS. Aegis like battle management
Type 052B, DDG, Guangzhou DDG, general purpose guided missile destroyer
Proj 956, Hangzhou DDG, imported Russian Sovremenny destroyer
Type 054, Ma'anshan FFG, and the newer Type 054A general purpose guided missile frigate
Type 093, SSN, new nuclear powered attack submarine
Type 094, SSBN, new nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine
Type 039, Song class SSK, ddvanced diesel electric attack submarine
Proj 636, Yuanzheng SSK, imported advanced Russian Kilo diesel electric attack submarine
Yuan Class SSK, new advanced diesel electric attack submarine with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) capabilities
Type 072-III, Large Amphibious assault ship
Type 071 LPD Very Large Amphibious assault ship
Type 2208, Guided missile Littoral Combat Craft, Advanced, stealthy, wave-piercing catamaran

In total, the Communist Chinese have produced over fifty new major combatants over the last few years, with upwards of thirty-five more currently building or being acquired, and more in line behind that. It is of significant concern when one considers the trend.

Here are the pictures:

THE MASSIVE PLAN SHIPBUILDING EFFORT

PLAN TRAINING EXERCISES WITH THEIR NEW VESSELS

THE GROWING, MODERN PLAN BLUE WATER FLEET

...and lets not forget the continuing work on the so-called PLAN "Casino"

LINKS OF INTEREST

Jeff Head is an engineering consultant with many years experience in the power, defense, and computer industries. He currently works for the federal government helping maintain and protect regional infrastructure. He is a member of the U.S. Naval Institute, and is also the author of a self-published and best-selling series of military techno-thrillers called the Dragon's Fury that projects a fictional third world war arising out of current events. You can learn more about that series by clicking on the pictures of the novel covers below:

THE DRAGON'S FURY SERIES

free hit counter