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052D DDG 117 getting ready for the formal commission soon

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China’s new aircraft carrier hints at the future of its navy

The Liaoning carried at least three helicopters, eight fighters, three destroyers, two frigates, and a refueling ship.

By Jeffrey Lin and P.W. Singer January 13, 2017

Last month China reported that its aircraft carrier Liaoning was ready to start operational service. The country’s navy provided proof on Christmas Day, sending out its first carrier battle group (CVBG) through the Miyako Straits, around Taiwan, and into the South China Sea, launching and recovering aircraft along the way.

Looking ahead to 2030, the next Chinese carrier will likely look very similar to the Liaoning CVBG, with updated destroyers and frigates that provide a more advanced layered defense and missile strike system. It will likely be accompanied by an arsenal of drones.

And then come the nuclear-powered carriers of the Type 003 Chinese aircraft carrier. The Type 003 itself would likely have a displacement of around 90,000-100,000 tons and carry anywhere from between 70-100 helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, and have multiple aircraft elevators and a single island superstructure. With a nuclear-powered reactor, the Type 003 could reach speeds in excess of 30 knots. The reactors could also provide the power for electromagnetically assisted launch system (EMALS) catapults (the preceding conventional Type 002 carrier may use steam catapults). EMALS catapults have improved efficiency and are less maintenance intensive than steam catapults.

The air group will likely still use J-15 fighters for multi-role purposes, along with an electronic warfare mission variant. For dedicated air superiority mission, the air group could also have fifth-generation stealth fighters, most likely navalized versions of either the J-31 or even the J20. The EMALS catapult could allow the Type 003 to launch aircraft with a takeoff weight of up to 50 tons, including aerial tankers, airborne early warning aircraft (especially useful to guiding long range missiles against distant aircraft), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) planes, smaller cargo planes and strike aircraft. Given Chinese interest in unmanned vehicles, the Type 003 could come with a UAV for surveillance and reconnaissance. The Type 003’s air group will also have helicopters for ASW and search and rescue missions.

The CVBG’s escort elements will likely consist of Type 055 destroyers and a future Chinese frigate (Type 057?) with an integrated mast. The improved Type 055, upgraded from the current hulls under construction, would have integrated electric propulsion system to increase onboard power generation for sensors and direct energy weapons. It will likely also be armed with over a hundred long-range anti-air and surface attack missiles, in addition to carrying helicopters. Given Chinese interest in unmanned naval vehicles, those surface combatants would likely carry UAVs, UUVs, and USVs for mine countermeasure. For underwater escort, the accompanying submarine would likely be a Type 095 nuclear attack submarine, stealthier and more heavily armed than current Chinese attack boats.

Depending on the CVBG mission profile, amphibious warfare ships like the Type 071 landing platform dock and landing helicopter docks be deployed to help disembark Chinese marines and air cavalry forces.

Years of operational experience are still needed to make the Liaoning, and the rest of the PLAN, ready for combat and other intensive carrier operations. But the PLA is now off to an important start with the Liaoning, and they have bigger plans for the future.

Source: Popular Science “China’s new aircraft carrier hints at the future of its navy”
 
056 FFG comfortably piercing through the high waves, well suited for stationing in SCS (可以驻巡南海!056轻护劈波斩浪气势不输大舰)
舰上配备4枚射程为200千米的鹰击-83反舰导弹、两座三联装324毫米鱼雷发射管、一座八联装FL-3000N舰空导弹发射架(射程9千米)、两门30毫米遥控机关炮和一门76毫米舰炮;舰艉设有飞行甲板,可供直升机起降。

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love it, but I always thought they should carry more ASM
ASM is expensive, and to carry more ASM could be very expensive. Considering that Type 056 is built to replace the Type 037 boat, I think 056's armament is sufficient.

But of course, if foreign clients are interested on 056 and has the desire to put more ASM on it, we can equip it with systems used by the CV16 Liaoning.

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China's latest intelligence-gathering ship was commissioned into the PLAN's North Sea Fleet on 10 January, according to Chinese media reports. Source: Via sina.com
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PLAN commissions another intelligence-gathering ship

China's latest intelligence-gathering ship was commissioned into the North Sea Fleet of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) at a ceremony in Qingdao on 10 January, according to Chinese news media reports.

Named Kaiyangxing (pennant number 856), the vessel was built at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai and is the fourth of the Dongdiao class (Type 815) to be commissioned in the past two years.

The first of the six 6,000-tonne ships currently in service with the PLAN was commissioned in 1999. Subsequent vessels have had changes made to their superstructure and masts, and are generally referred to as Type 815A.

The ships have a highly distinctive profile with very large spherical radomes, which are likely to be covering sensitive dish antennas for intercepting and collecting very low-power radio signals.

There are differences between the ships in the configuration of the antennas and Kaiyangxing has a unique flat-topped cylindrical radome above the bridge.

The six vessels in service are allocated evenly between the PLAN's North, East, and South Sea fleets.
 
CNS Ezhou 513


New vessel beefs up PLA Navy fleet
2017-01-21 10:02 | China Daily | Editor: Feng Shuang

The People's Liberation Army Navy has commissioned its 31st Type-056 class corvette, marking a new addition to the world's largest fleet of modern corvettes.

The CNS Ezhou with a hull number of 513 was delivered to the East Sea Fleet in a naval base in East China's Fujian province on Wednesday, PLA Daily reported, saying the ship will perform coastal patrol, fishery escort, anti-submarine and anti-ship operations.

It is the second ship that has been commissioned to the PLA Navy since the start of 2017, following the CNS Kaiyangxing, a Type-815A class electronic reconnaissance ship, which now belongs to the North Sea Fleet.

The newest of the Type-056 class to enter service, the Ezhou is 89 meters long and 11 m wide and has a full displacement of 1,254 metric tons. With a maximum speed of 52 km/h, the ship features good maneuverability, a high level of automation and stealth capability, and is capable of hitting aircraft, ships and submarines, the report added, noting it can carry one anti-submarine helicopter.

In addition to the Navy, the China Coast Guard is also attracted to the fast speed and reliable self-defense capacity of the Type-056 vessels and has introduced a number of such ships, which have appeared in operations near Huangyan Island and the Diaoyu Islands, the newspaper said.

China began to build the Type-056 class around 2012 to modernize its coastal defense flotillas that were composed of the antiquated Type-037 class corvettes, which were virtually submarine chasers, and some other old patrol boats.

The first Type-056 class ship, CNS Bengbu, was delivered to the East Sea Fleet in February 2013. Before the Ezhou, a total of 30 Type-056 class ships have been commissioned for the Navy, official statistics show.

Russia has the world's largest corvette group that consists of about 80 vessels, but most of them were built in the 1980s and 1990s and cannot compete with the Type-056 in terms of technology and equipment, defense observers said, adding that the Type-056 fleet is now the biggest force of modern corvettes of all navies.

Information from IHS Jane's Fighting Ships shows a Type-056 class corvette is armed with four YJ-83 anti-ship missile launchers, a 76-mm gun, two 30-mm cannons, two triple-barreled lightweight torpedo launchers, and an eight-cell HHQ-10 short-range anti-aircraft missile launcher. The industry publication also says that some of the Type-056 class vessels have enhanced anti-submarine capabilities with towed and variable-depth sonar.

According to a ranking by the British website Naval Technology, the Type-056 is one of the world's 10 best modern corvettes along with Sweden's Visby class and Germany's K130 Braunschweig class.

Cao Weidong, a researcher at the PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, said despite the Type-056 class being smaller compared with frigates, it will be as powerful as frigates in battles in coastal waters thanks to its stealth design and strong firepower.

Du Wenlong, an equipment expert at the PLA Academy of Military Science, said that in addition to coastal defense, Type-056 class ships can also help with long-range operations.
 
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