People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force
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The People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force is the
surface warfare Surface warfare is naval warfare involving surface ships. It is one of the four operational areas of naval warfare, the others being underwater warfare, aerial warfare, and information warfare. Surface warfare is the oldest and most basic for ...
branch of
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
's
People's Liberation Army Navy The People's Liberation Army Navy, also known as the People's Navy, PLA Navy or simply Chinese Navy, is the naval warfare military branch, branch of the People's Liberation Army, the national military of the People's Republic of China. It i ...
(PLAN), consisting of all surface vessels in operational service with the PLAN. The PLAN Surface Force operates 661 ships organized into three fleets: the
North Sea Fleet The North Sea Fleet (NSF; ), concurrently the Northern Theater Command Navy (), is one of the three fleets of China's People's Liberation Army Navy. Headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong, the fleet provides naval forces to the Northern Theater Comma ...
, the
East Sea Fleet The Eastern Theater Command Navy (东部战区海军, ETCN) is a formation of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the naval component of the Eastern Theater Command. The ETCN was reorganized from the East Sea Fleet (ESF) by 2016. C ...
and the
South Sea Fleet The Southern Theater Command Navy (STCN), or the South Sea Fleet (SSF) until 2018, is a formation of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the naval component of the Southern Theater Command. History In December 1949, the Fourth Fi ...
. Since the late 20th century, the People's Liberation Army Navy has been turning away from its traditional focus on
coastal A coast (coastline, shoreline, seashore) is the land next to the sea or the line that forms the boundary between the land and the ocean or a lake. Coasts are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape and by aquatic erosion, su ...
and littoral warfare and instead prioritizing the development of
blue water Maritime geography is a collection of terms used by naval military units to loosely define three maritime regions: brown water, green water, and blue water. Definitions The elements of maritime geography are loosely defined and their meanings hav ...
capabilities. This led to a significant reduction in overall fleet numbers as the PLAN has replaced a larger number of smaller ships with a smaller number of larger, more capable and versatile ships, including
destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...
s,
frigate A frigate () is a type of warship. In different eras, the roles and capabilities of ships classified as frigates have varied. The name frigate in the 17th to early 18th centuries was given to any full-rigged ship built for speed and maneuvera ...
s,
corvette A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the sloo ...
s,
amphibious warfare ship An amphibious warfare ship (or amphib) is an amphibious vehicle warship employed to land and support ground forces, such as marines, on enemy territory during an amphibious assault. Specialized shipping can be divided into two types, most cru ...
s and large
auxiliary ship An auxiliary ship is a naval ship designed to support combatant ships and other naval operations. Auxiliary ships are not primary combatant vessels, though they may have some limited combat capacity, usually for purposes of self-defense. Auxili ...
s. However the growing number of "blue water" capable warships has risen, and fleet numbers are projected to reach more than 500 units by the close of the 2020s. Meanwhile, according to the '' China Military Power Report'' published by
the Pentagon The Pentagon is the headquarters building of the United States Department of Defense, in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The building was constructed on an accelerated schedule during World War II. As ...
, as of October 2023, China has the numerically largest navy in the world with an overall battle force of approximately 370 surface ships and
submarine A submarine (often shortened to sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. (It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability.) The term "submarine" is also sometimes used historically or infor ...
s, including over 140 major surface combatants — in comparison, according to the U.S.
Naval Vessel Register The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...
, the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
's battle force is approximately 292 ships and submarines.


Aircraft carriers

The PLAN Surface Force currently operates three aircraft carriers, with one more in development: * Type 004 aircraft carrier - Under development. * Type 003 aircraft carrier ''Fujian'' - Undergoing sea trials (in May 2024). * Type 002 aircraft carrier ''Shandong'' - In active service. * Type 001 aircraft carrier ''Liaoning'' - In active service.


Development

The 60,900 tonne ''
Liaoning ) , image_skyline = , image_alt = , image_caption = Clockwise: Mukden Palace in Shenyang, Xinghai Square in Dalian, Dalian coast, Yalu River at Dandong , image_map = Liaoning in China (+all claims hatched).svg , ...
'' is the first operational aircraft carrier in service with the PLAN. ''Liaoning'', previously known as ''Varyag'', is a ''Kuznetsov''-class aircraft carrier which the Chinese purchased from
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
in 1998 through a private tourist venture in
Macau Macau or Macao is a special administrative regions of China, special administrative region of the People's Republic of China (PRC). With a population of about people and a land area of , it is the most List of countries and dependencies by p ...
. At the time, ''Varyag'' was only 68% completed and stripped of all military equipment as well as her propulsion. After the purchase, ''Varyag'' was towed to
Dalian Dalian ( ) is a major sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the provincial capital Shenyang) and the third-most populous city of Northeast China (after Shenyang ...
, where she underwent extensive refurbishment, coordinated by the
Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC) is a shipbuilding state-owned enterprise located in Dalian, Liaoning province, China. It is part of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), which has since been merged into China State S ...
. On 10 August 2011, it was announced that the refurbishment of the new ''Liaoning'' was complete, and that the ship was undergoing
sea trial A sea trial or trial trip is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on op ...
s. ''Liaoning'' was finally commissioned on 25 September 2012. In July 2011, a senior researcher of the Academy of Military Sciences said China needed at least three aircraft carriers for its fleet. During the same month, another Chinese official announced that two aircraft carriers were being built at the
Jiangnan Shipyard Jiangnan Shipyard ( zh, c=江南造船厂, p=Jiāngnán Zàochuán Chǎng) is a historic shipyard in Shanghai, China. The shipyard has been state-owned since its founding in 1865 and is now operated as Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co. Ltd. Befo ...
in
Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...
; the aircraft carriers were reportedly based on a similar design to ''Liaoning'', suggesting a displacement of approximately 65,000 tonnes. A new Chinese variant of the
Sukhoi Su-33 The Sukhoi Su-33 (-33; NATO reporting name: Flanker-D) is a Soviet/Russian all-weather carrier-based twin-engine air superiority fighter designed by Sukhoi and manufactured by Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Association, derived f ...
fighter aircraft, known as the
Shenyang J-15 The Shenyang J-15 (wikt:歼, Chinese: 歼-15), also known as ''Flying Shark'' (; NATO reporting name: Flanker-X2, Flanker-K) is a Chinese night fighter, all-weather, twinjet, twin-engine, carrier-based aircraft, carrier-based Fourth-generation fi ...
(or ''Flying Shark'') was expected to fly from the new aircraft carriers. In 2013, Chinese media reported that the PLAN is designing and planning to build a 110,000 tonne 'super aircraft carrier'. Media reports also stated that the current aircraft carriers under construction were based on ''Liaoning'', but would be larger and would displace around 80,000 tonnes. The PLA Navy planned to establish three aircraft carrier battle groups by 2020. ''Liaoning'' and China's first domestically built carrier were to be part of the battle groups. One of the battle groups was to be deployed in the East China Sea, while the other two were to be deployed to the South China Sea. On 31 December 2015, it was announced that China was building a second carrier in STOBAR configuration, displacing around 50,000 tonnes, with a length of 300m and an estimated capacity of 50 aircraft. The hull was launched on 26 April 2017 and was estimated to be operational by 2020. This carrier—PLAN's second aircraft carrier, ''
Shandong Shandong is a coastal Provinces of China, province in East China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It has served as a pivotal cultural ...
''—was put in commission on 17 December 2019, prior the estimated year of operational status. China's third aircraft carrier, the ''Fujian'', was begun in March 2015 and was launched on 17 June 2022. She is (start of 2024) currently undergoing trials).


Amphibious warfare ships

The PLAN operates many types of amphibious vessels of various sizes and capabilities: Landing Helicopter Docks (LHDs) * Type 076 — Planned *
Type 075 The Type 075 landing helicopter dock (NATO reporting name: Yushen-class landing helicopter assault) is a class of Chinese amphibious assault ships built by Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). It has a ful ...
(NATO designation Yushen-class) — 3 in active service, 1 in sea trials. 4 more projected. Amphibious Transport Docks (LPDs) * Type 071 (NATO designation Yuzhao-class) — 8 in active service with the PLAN, plus one vessel also supplied to Thailand. Landing Ship, Tank (LSTs) * Type 072A (NATO designation Yuting III-class) — 15 in active service. * Type 072III (NATO designation Yuting II-class) — 11 in active service. * Type 072II (NATO designation Yuting-class) — 3 in active service. Landing Ship, Medium (LSMs) * Type 073 (NATO designation Yudao, Yudeng and Yunshu-class) — 11 in active service (10 Type 073A, 1 Type 073III). Landing Craft * Type 074A (NATO designation Yubei-class) — 6 in active service. * Type 074 (NATO designation Yuhai-class) — 12 in active service.


Development

The construction of the large Yuzhao-class
amphibious transport dock An amphibious transport dock, also called a landing platform dock (LPD), is an amphibious warfare ship, a warship that embarks, transports, and lands elements of a landing force for expeditionary warfare missions. Several navies currently oper ...
s (LPDs) (''pictured'') indicated an important shift toward blue water capabilities for the PLAN. However, the
Landing Ship, Tank A Landing Ship, Tank (LST) is a ship first developed during World War II (1939–1945) to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach with no dock (maritime), docks or pier ...
s (LSTs) of the 072 series still constitute the core of PLAN amphibious capabilities. With approximately 26 confirmed in service, the PLAN possesses the capabilities to conduct amphibious operations in the littoral waters of the South East Asian region, as well as a limited capability in outer sea landings. Most vessels are only capable of transporting troops while some are capable of transporting limited numbers of armored vehicles. In late 2012, it was reported that China may be developing a class of 40,000 to 48,000 tonne
landing helicopter dock A landing helicopter dock (LHD) is a multipurpose amphibious assault ship that is capable of operating as a helicopter carrier and also has a well deck for supporting landing crafts. LHD vessels are built with a full flight deck similar in ...
s (LHDs). They came to be known as the Type 075 class. Three vessels of this class are in active service, with a fourth having been launched in December 2023. A total of eight are planned, although later units may be of the improved Type 076. ''For a list of smaller landing craft of the PLAN, see: List of active People's Liberation Army Navy landing craft''


Destroyers

Destroyers are the largest principal surface combatants in the People's Liberation Army Navy. *
Type 055 destroyer The Type 055 destroyer (NATO/ OSD designation Renhai-class cruiser) is a class of stealth guided-missile destroyers (rated as guided-missile cruisers per NATO/OSD standard parlance) constructed for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (P ...
(NATO designation Renhai-class) — 8 in active service. A second batch of eight are under development under the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). *
Type 052D destroyer The Type 052D destroyer (NATO/ OSD reporting name: Luyang III-class destroyer) is a class of guided-missile destroyers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and currently one of the most numerous principal surface combatant class ...
(NATO designation Luyang III-class) — 25 in active service, 3 launched, 6 under construction * Type 051C destroyer (NATO designation Luzhou-class) — 2 in active service. * Type 052C destroyer (NATO designation Luyang II-class) — 6 in active service. *
Type 052B destroyer The Type 052B (NATO/ OSD Luyang I-class destroyer) is a class of guided-missile destroyers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force (PLAN). The Type 052B was China's first modern destroyer designKirchberger (2015): page 195McDe ...
(NATO designation Luyang I-class) — 2 in active service. * Project 956E/956EM destroyer (NATO designation Sovremenny-class) — 4 in active service. * Type 051B destroyer (NATO designation Luhai-class) — 1 in active service. *
Type 052 destroyer The Type 052 (NATO/ OSD Luhu-class destroyer) is a class of destroyers developed in the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The Type 052 was an intermediate between the obsolescent Type 051Kirchberger ...
(NATO designation Luhu-class) — 2 in active service.


Development

The People's Liberation Army Navy had traditionally focused on the principles of coastal defense. With this came a series of warship designs based on the
Soviet Navy The Soviet Navy was the naval warfare Military, uniform service branch of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy made up a large part of the Soviet Union's strategic planning in the event of a conflict with t ...
's destroyers and frigates. The first PLAN destroyers were the ''Anshan'' class, directly purchased from the Soviet Union. These were armed with torpedoes and various surface- and air-warfare guns. The ''Anshans effectiveness in naval warfare was significantly enhanced with the torpedo tubes being replaced by anti-ship missile launchers. Although retired from the active service, the ''Anshan'' class destroyers remain on PLAN's list and act as training ships and perform public relations duties.


Type 051

The Type 051 ''Luda'' class followed from the 1970s onwards, with many similarities to the Soviet ''Kotlin'' class. The ''Luda''s were armed with six anti-ship missiles and various guns and ASW weapons. Both the ''Luda'' and ''Anshan'' were key vessels to PLAN's coastal defense doctrines, as small coastal defense destroyers. These ships were all armed with mostly manually operated air defense artillery with no surface-to-air missiles and no ASW torpedoes. One ''Luda'' class ship, ''Guangzhou'' (160), was lost in an accident. By the mid-1990s, all ''Anshan'' class destroyers were retired. Since the late 1980s, the older 051 ''Luda'' went through various upgrade and refit programmes. One vessel was refitted with a double hangar and helicopter deck. At least four others were upgraded with HQ-7 short range SAM, new automatic air defense artillery (as opposed to the old manual mounts), torpedoes and sixteen YJ83 anti-ship missiles. Though the other remaining ships continue to retain original weaponry, they had all undergone major refits to extend their surface lives, including satellite communications and navigation systems to allow them to operate beyond coastal waters. As of 2021, all ''Luda''s have been retired.


Type 052

In the 1980s, the PLAN focus shifted toward blue-water multi-role operations, alongside the import of Western systems such as the General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, resulting in the Type 052 ''Luhu'' class. The first vessel, ''Harbin'' (112) (seen and commissioned by the early 1990s), was a significant shift from traditional Chinese warship design. These were the first Chinese attempt at truly modern combat vessels and there was much more focus on air defense and ASW warfare, including the installation of an 8-celled '' Crotale'' launcher, a short range missile system later indigenously produced as HQ-7. A second vessel, the ''Qingdao'' (113) was launched later in the mid-1990s. Since the 2000s, the 052 ''Luhu'' class has been through various upgrade and refit programmes. Both ''Harbin'' (112) and ''Qingdao'' (113) have undergone major refits and both now carry sixteen YJ83 Anti-ship missiles and remain in service. As a result, two subclasses of destroyers were formed in the PLAN, namely the 051 series and 052 series. There are certain design differences between the two subclasses, such as the 051 series ships using mature indigenous steam turbine engines, compared to marine gas turbines on the 052 series, which were at the time less mature and had to be imported.


Type 051B

Near the end of the 1990s, the Type 051B ''Luhai'' class was introduced as a new design (not based on the Type 051) utilising domestic steam turbines due to Western embargo on the LM2500 gas turbines. The class was an attempt at modernising naval construction, utilising more modularity and stealth, as well as refining knowledge accumulated from the earlier Type 052 such as integrating foreign subsystems more effectively. The 051B was still obsolete by Western standards, equipped with only short-range anti air capability and just one ship was built - the ''Shenzhen'' 167 (originally 115), built by Dalian in 1996-99; it has since undergone major refits. Similar to the 052 ''Luhu'' class, it carried sixteen YJ83 anti-ship missiles, improved HQ-7 short-range SAM (Based on the Crotale), and had enhanced electronic, sensor and weaponry capabilities. A major refit in 2015 upgraded it with medium-range anti-air capabilities via vertical-launch HQ-16 (32 missiles, 40 km range), sixteen supersonic YJ-12 anti-ship missiles and two
Type 1130 The Type 730 is a Chinese seven-barrelled 30 mm Rotary cannon, Gatling gun/rotary cannon CIWS. It has a PLA Navy designation H/PJ12. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar, and electro-optical tracking systems. ...
CIWS.


Type 956E / 956EM (Sovremmeny)

In 1996, China signed a deal with Russia for the purchase of two Type 956E ''Sovremenny'' class destroyers. The first ship (renamed ''Hangzhou'') arrived in January 2000 and the second (renamed ''Fuzhou'') in January 2001. These ships significantly improved the PLAN's fighting capabilities. Each ship displaces 7,940 tons full loaded. Weaponry included ASW torpedoes and mortar launchers,
AK-630 The AK-630 is a Soviet Union, Soviet and Russian fully automatic naval, rotary cannon, close-in weapon system. The "630" designation refers to the weapon's six gun barrels and their 30 mm caliber. The system is mounted in an enclosed automatic ...
automatic
CIWS A close-in weapon system (CIWS ) is a point-defense weapon system for detecting and destroying short-range incoming missiles and enemy aircraft which have penetrated the outer defenses, typically mounted on a naval ship. Nearly all classes of ...
cannons, two twin mountings of 130 mm rapid fire cannons, the short/medium-ranged
SA-N-7 The Buk (; "beech" (tree), ) is a family of self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile systems developed by the Soviet Union and its successor state, the Russian Federation, and designed to counter cruise missiles, smart bombs and ro ...
SAM (48 missiles, 25 km range) and the SS-N-22 ''Sunburn'' supersonic sea-skimming anti-ship missile. Two improved Type 956EM vessels (renamed as ''Taizhou'' and ''Ningbo'') were acquired in 2002, and include a longer range SS-N-22 missile, improved air defense, and the Kashtan CIWS. Although the software was upgraded to accommodate the improved SA-N-12, it is unclear if it entered service. The class is undergoing refit. ''Hangzhou'' (136) has had its SA-N-7 SAM replaced with vertical-launch HQ-16 (32 missiles, 40 km range), SS-N-22 anti-ship missiles replaced by eight YJ-12 anti-ship missiles and fitted with HQ-10 CIWS.


Type 052B

In 2001, production of the 052 line was restarted as the Type 052B after a replacement of the LM2500 gas turbines was found, in the form of the Ukrainian GT25000/DA80. It was initially planned to be the PLA's first modern long range anti-air destroyer featuring a new stealthy design, the domestic Type 346 flat-panelled
AESA radar An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the ant ...
and
HQ-9 The HQ-9 ( zh, s=红旗-9, t=紅旗-9, p=Hóng Qí-9, l=Red Banner-9; NATO reporting name: CH-SA-9.) is a long-range semi-active radar homing (SARH) surface-to-air missile (SAM) developed by the People's Republic of China. The naval variant is ...
missiles but development of the missile was not ready in time. Hence, it instead adopted many Russian and indigenous weapons and sensors. Just two units were produced. Its armament included two indigenous
Type 730 CIWS The Type 730 is a Chinese seven-barrelled 30 mm Gatling gun/rotary cannon CIWS. It has a PLA Navy designation H/PJ12. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar, and electro-optical tracking systems. The maximum ...
(first of its kind in China), sixteen YJ83 anti-ship missiles, two Russian SA-N-12 ''Grizzly'' medium-range SAM (48 missiles, 32 km range), torpedoes, anti-submarine rockets, a 100 mm artillery mount, and a hangar to hold one Kamov KA-28 ASW helicopter.


Type 052C

In 2002, the
Type 052C The Type 052C destroyer (NATO/ OSD Luyang II-class destroyer) is a class of guided-missile destroyers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force (PLAN). The Type 052C introduced both fixed active electronically scanned array (AE ...
followed, using the same Ukrainian GT25000/DA80 gas turbines. The 052C became the first PLA warship with true long range anti-air capability. It included, for the first time, the domestic Type 346 flat-panelled
AESA radar An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the ant ...
and indigenous
HQ-9 The HQ-9 ( zh, s=红旗-9, t=紅旗-9, p=Hóng Qí-9, l=Red Banner-9; NATO reporting name: CH-SA-9.) is a long-range semi-active radar homing (SARH) surface-to-air missile (SAM) developed by the People's Republic of China. The naval variant is ...
long-range SAM (48 missiles, 200 km range) launched via concentric VLS, a new anti-ship cruise missile known as the YJ-62 and two
Type 730 CIWS The Type 730 is a Chinese seven-barrelled 30 mm Gatling gun/rotary cannon CIWS. It has a PLA Navy designation H/PJ12. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar, and electro-optical tracking systems. The maximum ...
. Production was stalled after just 2 ships due to initial failures in localising the Ukrainian GT25000/DA80 gas turbines. Production was restarted in the 2010s after success in localising the gas turbines, and in the end a total of 6 were produced.


Type 051C

Due to the stall in 052C production, the 051 series was restarted in 2003 as the Type 051C, using the same hull and layout as the 051B ''Luhai'' class and domestic steam turbines. Initial construction was delayed by the slow acquisition of the Russian S-300FM long range SAM. It was intended to be a stop gap measure to provide long range area air defense to the fleet by mating the mature hull design with proven foreign SAM system that was more capable than that of the Type 052B destroyer. The ship uses concentric VLS launchers with the Russian S-300FM air defense missile (48 missiles, 150 km range). Compromises had to be made, such as forgoing a helicopter hangar to fit the S-300FM systems, forgoing the flat panelled
AESA radar An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the ant ...
for a more conventional Top Plate radar and forgoing any CIWS. It also reverted to the older YJ83 anti-ship missiles. Construction of the 051C was stopped after just 2 ships as the 052C development was finalised in 2008 and continued production.


Type 052D

In 2012, the
Type 052D destroyer The Type 052D destroyer (NATO/ OSD reporting name: Luyang III-class destroyer) is a class of guided-missile destroyers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and currently one of the most numerous principal surface combatant class ...
started construction, with a design largely based on the 052C, but equipped with a universal VLS system that can fire 64 missiles of different variety, an updated Type 346A flat-panelled
AESA radar An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the ant ...
and a new missile-based
HQ-10 The HQ-10 () is a short range surface-to-air missile designed by China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC), currently in service as a point defense missile system aboard PLA Navy warships. Development The system was first adopte ...
CIWS. The 052D represents the ultimate culmination of the 051 and 052 series of destroyers, with all key systems such as gas turbines, flat-panelled
AESA radar An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the ant ...
s and HQ-9 long range air defence missiles fully localised, as well as a new YJ-18 long range supersonic anti-ship missile. It has since been mass-produced, with 25 units produced as of 2022, 4 under construction and 8 more planned for a total of 37, more than all previous classes combined.


Type 055

Currently eight
Type 055 destroyer The Type 055 destroyer (NATO/ OSD designation Renhai-class cruiser) is a class of stealth guided-missile destroyers (rated as guided-missile cruisers per NATO/OSD standard parlance) constructed for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (P ...
s - the ''Nanchang'', the ''Lhasa'', the ''Dalian'', the ''Yan'an'', the ''Anshan'', the ''Zunyi'', the ''Wuxi'' and the ''Xianyang'' - which are Asia's biggest warships (Aircraft carriers and Amphibious assault ship not included) since the Second World War, were in active service by the end of 2022, four with the North Sea Fleet and four with the South Sea Fleet. A second (improved) batch of eight are under construction under the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). Some or all of these may be to an improved Type 055A Class.''Jane's Fighting Ships'', 2023-24 Edition, ISBN 978-0-7106-3428 3, page 138. The Type 055 destroyer is China's biggest surface combatant until now. It was designed to be a modern, multi-purpose warship, with four enormous Type 346B AESA radars and an integrated mast containing intelligence equipment, electronic countermeasures, and fire control radars. Armament includes 112-cell modular VLS able to operate with a variety of missiles, including land-attack cruise missiles, and a new 130 mm naval gun. Its displacement in excess of 12,000 tons and upgraded VLS capacity has led to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
classifying it as a guided missile cruiser rather than a destroyer and as a result, analysts have compared it to the U.S. Navy's ''Ticonderoga'' class cruiser and the ''Zumwalt'' class destroyer.


Frigates

Frigates are the most numerous principal surface combatants in the People's Liberation Army Navy. In spite of the more recent trend to construction of larger warships, like destroyers, this status is unlikely to change in the near future: * Type 054B frigate - (at least) 1 under construction, 1 in sea trial *
Type 054A frigate The Type 054A (NATO/ OSD Jiangkai II) is a Ship class, class of guided-missile frigate from the People's Republic of China. It is a development of the Type 054 frigate; compared to its predecessor, the Type 054A has medium-range air defense capa ...
(NATO designation Jiangkai II-class) - 35 in active service, 2 prepared for commissioning, 1 in sea trial. * Type 054 frigate (NATO designation Jiangkai I-class) - 2 in active service. *
Type 053H3 frigate The Type 053H3 (NATO reporting name: Jiang Wei, Jiangwei II) is a ship class, class of Chinese frigates that entered service with the People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force in the 1990s and 2000s. The class comprised ten vessels, all of whic ...
(NATO designation Jiangwei II-class) - 8 in active service. *
Type 053 frigate The Type 053 is a family of People's Republic of China, Chinese frigates that served with the People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force, and a small number of foreign navies. Nomenclature for Chinese warships was temporarily changed during the ...
(NATO designation Jianghu-class) - 3 in active service (1 Type 053H1, 2 Type 053H1G).


Development

Frigates were the first large surface combatants made available to the PLAN. The Soviet Union sold several frigates to the PLAN in the 1950s, including kits for four
Riga-class frigate The Riga class was the NATO reporting name for class of frigates built for the Soviet Navy in the 1950s. The Soviet designation for these ships was ''Storozhevoi Korabl'' (escort ship) ''Project 50 Gornostay'' ('' Ermine stoat''). The Riga class ...
s. These four ships were assembled in China in 1955-58 as the Type 6601 frigate (NATO designation ''Chengdu'' Class), and comprised the ''Chengdu'' 507 and ''Guiyang'' 505 (both built by Hudong, Shanghai), and the ''Hengyang'' 508 and ''Kunming'' 506 (both built by the Huangpu Shipyard in Guangzhou). They were followed in 1963-69 by five frigates to a domestic design developed from the ''Riga'' class; these ships constituted the Type 65 class (NATO designation ''Jiangnan'' Class) and comprised the prototype ''Haikou'' 529 built at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, and four further ships all built at the Huangpu Shipyard in Guangzhou - the ''Xiaguan'' 501, ''Nanchong'' 502, ''Kaiyuan'' 503 and ''Dongchuan'' 504. These frigates became the foundation of Chinese built designs, such as the
Type 053 frigate The Type 053 is a family of People's Republic of China, Chinese frigates that served with the People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force, and a small number of foreign navies. Nomenclature for Chinese warships was temporarily changed during the ...
s. These ships were mostly armed with naval guns, though later designs managed to replace torpedo tubes with a twin launcher for SS-N-2 Styx anti-ship missiles. Initial attempts to fit anti-aircraft missiles to frigates resulted in a fresh design known as the ''Jiangdong'' Class (Type 053K). The first ship - the ''Yingtan'' 531 - was commissioned in 1975 carrying two twin launchers for the HQ-61B short ranged SAM, this vessel served as the sole PLAN SAM capable frigate until the 1990s. A second ship of this class - the ''Zhongdong'' 532 - was launched in 1975 but was never completed, and scrapped after 1986. Both ships were built by Hudong, Shanghai. Their effectiveness in engaging missiles and aircraft was thought to be limited. The same hull was later used for the ''Jianghu'' class (Type 053H) class. During the 1970s the PLAN introduced the ''Jianghu'' class. Essentially, a scaled down version of the ''Luda'' class of destroyers, this large class of missile frigates would have many follow-on variants. The first hull, 515 ''Xiamen'' was completed in 1975, and mass production followed until 1996. All ''Jianghu'' class ships are armed with four SY-2 anti-ship missiles (indigenous and improved versions of initial Soviet SS-N-2 Styx). Gun armaments vary across the class, including a single 100 mm mount or a more modern Type 79 100 mm twin mounts. The latest eight hulls (built during the early 1990s) feature automatic twin 37 mm Type 76A AA guns. One ''Jianghu'', hull 516, was refitted recently to carry a battery of 122 mm rockets, fixed on stabilized launchers. A total of 27 ''Jianghu'' Is were built, and they remain in use today with various upgrades and refits to extend their service life. The vessels are deficient in modern anti-aircraft, anti-ship and anti-submarine fighting capabilities. The first Chinese frigate to carry a helicopter was a modified ''Jianghu'' II, the ''Siping'' 544, dubbed as the ''Jianghu'' IV class. Only one ship was modified, despite great optimism that most of the class would follow suit. The ''Siping'' is believed to perform more as a test ship, with a single helicopter hangar and a new single 100 mm gun mount similar to the French Creusot-Loire rapid fire main gun. Its fighting capabilities have been retained with twin SY-2 missiles and AA guns. The fitting of the helicopter hangar meant the sacrifice of the aft SY-2 missile launchers. A further step for the ''Jianghu'' class was made by the appearance of the ''Jianghu'' III/V class, first commissioned in 1986. These ships are the first to have air conditioning onboard Chinese warships. They feature heavy Western influence, and instead of using the SY-2 missiles, they are armed with the YJ8 series. The ''Jianghu'' V class carries the YJ82 with extended range. There are three ships in the ''Jianghu'' III class and six ships in ''Jianghu'' V class. The ''Jiangwei'' I class was launched in 1991 and represented a shift away from the old ''Jianghu'' concept. Major features included a sextuple HQ-61B SAM launcher, modernized electronics and radar, six YJ8 missiles, automatic Type 76F anti-aircraft guns and a hangar and helicopter deck for one French AS 565 or Z-9C helicopter. Four of the ''Jiangwei'' I were built between 1990 and 1994. Though a great versatile design, it suffered the same weaknesses in air defense, as its SAM had to be manually reloaded as well as unsatisfactory performance. The four ships have been refitted since for life extension, and continue to serve the PLAN. The HQ-61 SAM system was later replaced by HQ-7 SAM systems during refits. The first ''Jiangwei'' II was launched in 1997. This has a similar design layout to the ''Jiangwei'' I but has incorporated major improvements. These included eight (not six) YJ82/3 missiles, octuple HQ-7 SAM (replacing the HQ-61B), improved fully automated main gun, and a redesigned aft structure. Ten ''Jiangwei'' IIs were built, the last ship commissioned in 2005. All ''Jiangwei''s have since been refitted with a stealthier gun casing for their 100 mm main guns. In 2005, the Type 054 frigate (in NATO parlance the ''Jiangkai'' I class) entered PLAN service (with hulls 525 and 526). The Type 054 is considerably stealthier than all previous PLAN frigate designs. These two ships (the ''Ma'anshan'' and ''Wenzhou'') are each armed with an HQ-7 octuple launcher, eight YJ83 anti-ship missiles, a 100 mm main gun, four AK630 CIWS turrets, ASW torpedoes and rocket launchers, carries one Ka-28 Helix or Z-9C, and displaces 3,400 tons. This represents a new generation of frigate design in the PLAN, and a shifting focus on larger multi-role platforms. The air defense missile armament is no better than the ''Jiangwei'' II class although this may be upgraded later. The original Type 054 has now been superseded by the
Type 054A frigate The Type 054A (NATO/ OSD Jiangkai II) is a Ship class, class of guided-missile frigate from the People's Republic of China. It is a development of the Type 054 frigate; compared to its predecessor, the Type 054A has medium-range air defense capa ...
(''Jiangkai'' II), which continues in series production (up to 40 units are completed and active, while another 10 are under construction or planned). The 054A features a number of important improvements over the original 054. The main air defense armament has been upgraded to a 32-cell VLS HQ-16 medium-range SAM system, giving area air-defence capability for the first time to PLAN frigates. In addition, the four AK630 CIWS have been replaced by two autonomous
Type 730 CIWS The Type 730 is a Chinese seven-barrelled 30 mm Gatling gun/rotary cannon CIWS. It has a PLA Navy designation H/PJ12. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar, and electro-optical tracking systems. The maximum ...
. The Type 054A is altogether a well balanced and stealthy frigate design, with considerable firepower and multi-role versatility. The first units of a fresh development (the Type 054B frigate) are now entering service.


Corvettes

Corvettes are the smallest principal surface combatants in the People's Liberation Army Navy. Traditionally the PLAN operated extensive fleets of missile and gun boats for defence of its littoral waters. However, as the PLAN moved towards developing blue water capabilities, there is a growing need to replace a larger number of smaller vessels with a smaller number of larger and much more capable vessels: * Type 056 corvette (NATO designation Jiangdao-class) - 50 in active service (50 Type 056A). Note: 22 Type 056 retired and transferred to CCG.


Development

Following the designing and building of the Pattani class corvette for the
Royal Thai Navy The Royal Thai Navy (Abbreviation, Abrv: RTN, ทร.; , ) is the Navy, naval warfare force of Thailand. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known as the father of the Royal N ...
in the mid-2000s, speculation of a domestic variant of the design was rife. The speculations were confirmed in November 2010 during a visit by Maj. Gen. Wang Junli, Deputy commander of the
Hong Kong Garrison The People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison is a garrison of the People's Liberation Army (PLA), responsible for defence duties in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) since the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. The garrison i ...
and the
Hong Kong University The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is a public research university in Pokfulam, Hong Kong. It was founded in 1887 as the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese by the London Missionary Society and formally established as the University of ...
's Vice-Chancellor
Tsui Lap-chee Lap-Chee Tsui (; born 21 December 1950) is a Chinese-born Canadian geneticist and served as the 14th Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Hong Kong. Personal life He grew up in Kowloon, Hong Kong and attended . He studied Biolog ...
when a model of the Type 056 was presented. The first ship was launched in May 2012. Though the Type 056 appears in the 21st century, the design concept can be referred to as early as the 1980s, when the PLAN were considering developing a larger patrol ship to replace the Type 037 corvette to improve the living conditions on the ship, which was firstly called by Type 038. However, this concept was not realized until the appearance of Type 056 in 2012 due to the shortage of funds. The Type 056 has a stealthy hull design with sloped surface and a reduced superstructure clutter. There is a
helipad A helipad is the landing area of a heliport, in use by helicopters, powered lift, and vertical lift aircraft to land on surface. While helicopters and powered lift aircraft are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fa ...
at the stern for a light helicopter but has no organic helicopter support facilities. The main anti-ship armament consists of
YJ-83 The YJ-83 (; NATO reporting name: CSS-N-8 Saccade) is a Chinese subsonic anti-ship cruise missile. It is manufactured by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation Third Academy. Development The YJ-83 uses microprocessors and a st ...
sea-skimming anti-ship
cruise missile A cruise missile is an unmanned self-propelled guided missile that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large payload over long distances with high precision. Modern cru ...
s in two twin-cell launchers. The primary anti-aircraft armament is one FL-3000N short range missile system with 8 rounds. A 76 mm main gun based on a Russian AK-176 is mounted forward. 2 triple torpedo tubes are mounted for ASW operations. Type 056 is the first Chinese warship with modular design, which makes it cover the roles from OPV to multi-role frigate. The PLAN used versions may include patrol type, ASW type, ASuW type, AAW type and commander type; while the export versions can be quite differently fitted according to consumer's requirement. For the moment, at least 3 variants of Type 056 for export exist with the same design of hull but varying bridge designs and armament layouts. A total of 20 corvettes were initially planned, but it was expected that anywhere up to 60 corvettes could be eventually brought into active service with the PLAN. Originally, there were 2 variants of the ''Jiangdao''-class in PLAN service - Type 056 and Type 056A. The main difference between the 2 variants is the addition of towed passive sonar line array and towed active variable depth sonar on Type 056A, giving this variant a significant ASW capability. The breakdown of numbers of the 2 variants is 22 Type 056 and 50 Type 056A, totaling 72 vessels across the 2 variants. All 22 of the original Type 056 have been retired from the PLAN and have been transferred to the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG). This move is expected to significantly boost Chinese Coast Guard capabilities. All 50 of the Type 056A have been commissioned and remain active in PLAN service.


Missile boats, submarine chasers and gunboats

With increasing acquisition of destroyers, submarines, frigates and auxiliary support assets, missile and gun boats mostly disappeared from the PLAN fleet, with numbers reduced dramatically. However new classes of missile attack boats continue to be built to replace older types: *
Type 22 missile boat The Type 22 ( NATO designation: ''Houbei'' class) missile boat is a ship class in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. The first boat was launched in April 2004 by the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard at Shanghai. The boats incorporate stealth feat ...
(NATO designation Houbei-class) - 60 in active service * Type 037II missile boat (NATO designation Houjian-class) - 5 in active service * Type 037IG missile boat (NATO designation Houxin-class) - 8 in active service * Type 037I submarine chaser (NATO designation Haiqing-class) - 6 in active service (Type 037IS variant) * Type 062I gunboat (NATO designation Shanghai III-class)


Development

The PLAN's main focus until the 1980s was a sharp emphasis on coastal defense and littoral warfare. This was influenced from early engagements where the Communist forces found the value of small maneuverable craft against larger, better armed but slower Nationalist ships. Early littoral craft in the PLAN's inventory included riverine craft and gun boats converted from various ships. This was later added to in the 1950s by Soviet-designed gun and torpedo attack craft. Such gun craft included the ''Kronstadt'' class heavily armed gun boats which served the PLAN until the 1980s. Soviet missile attack craft were later added to the fleet, including the Komar and Osa type fast attack missile craft. Although most littoral designs bore Soviet influence, there were quite a few indigenous designs or copies of Soviet-type craft. Hundreds of vessels were deployed by the fleet, serving as the backbone of the PLAN until a higher emphasis was placed upon bluewater naval operations. Despite availability of frigates and destroyers, the brunt of PLAN involvement in small-scale conflicts have been borne by the littoral forces. For instance, the various naval engagements between Chinese and Vietnamese naval forces were carried out by PLAN littoral craft. Today missile boats compose of the ''Houjian'', ''Houxin'' and ''Houbei'' classes. The 478-ton ''Houxin'' design is based on the Hainan-class hull, but with a redesigned superstructure, new systems, two automatic twin-37 mm guns and four YJ8 series anti-ship missiles. Around 28 are in service, built since the 1990s. A much more sophisticated and stealthy design is the 520-ton ''Houjian'' class. Main armament of the Houjian design is the twin 37 mm mount, two 30 mm twin turrets, and six YJ8 series anti-ship missiles. The latest generation missile attack craft is the 220X (''Houbei'') design. Seen since 2005, its most distinctive feature is its trimaran hull that can achieve maximum wave piercing performance at high speeds. The stealthy design has two missile-houses, that can possibly be fitted with various ordnance. Eight missiles of the YJ83 anti-ship missiles are believed to be carried, as well as a single AK630 CIWS for self-defense. Four hulls emerged by 2005, with another eight to twelve others being constructed as of 2006. Submarine chasers are plentiful in the PLAN and serve to screen China's territorial waters against submarine incursions. The ''Hainan'' class has proven itself to be a reliable design in many roles. Its main armament is two twin 57 mm guns, and two 25 mm AAA. The Hainan is also armed with anti-submarine multi-barrelled rockets and depth charges. There is provision for the fitment of four YJ8 series anti-ship missiles as well. The ''Haiqing'' class is a second generation improvement over the Hainan, with redesigned superstructure, automatic 37 mm AA guns and newer generation sonars and ASW equipment.


Mine countermeasures

The People's Liberation Army Navy operates three mine countermeasure classes and a single mine layer class: * Type 081 mine countermeasure vessel (NATO designation Wochi-class) - 10 in active service. * Type 082II mine countermeasure vessel (NATO designation Wozang-class) - 2 in active service. * Type 082 mine countermeasure vessel (NATO designation Wosao-class) - 17 in active service.


Development

Despite the extensive use of mines as a strategically important defensive and offensive weapon, the PLAN operates only a small number of mine warfare ships. These boats comprised mine-laying and mine-sweeping types. The PLAN operates a single ''Wolei'' class mine-layer. This ship was commissioned in 1988 and displaces 2,300 tons full load. It can carry and lay up to 300 mines. There is little need of a dedicated mine-laying type however, as most PLA surface and submarine combatants can lay minefields. Minesweepers have served the PLAN since its founding. Currently two new classes of minesweeper have emerged since the late 1980s (Type 082 and Type 082II) and a single class since the 2000s (Type 081). Coastal minesweeping is primarily conducted by the Type 082 class. Blue-water minesweeping is fulfilled by the Type 082II and Type 081 classes.


Fleet replenishment

Fleet replenishment has been an expanding element in PLAN auxiliaries. The PLAN view the need of replenishment ships as vital for blue water fleet operations: *
Type 901 fast combat support ship The Type 901 combined replenishment ship ( zh, 901型综合补给舰, NATO reporting name: Fuyu-class AOE, also known as ''Hulunhu''-class) is a class of fast combat support ships of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. Design The Type 9 ...
(NATO designation Fuyu-class) - 2 in active service, 1 under construction. *
Type 903 replenishment ship The Type 903 combined replenishment ship ( zh, 903型综合补给舰, NATO reporting name: ''Fuchi'') is a class of replenishment oiler (AOR) built for the People's Liberation Army Navy, serving as a principal fleet auxiliary ship for blue-water ...
(NATO designation Fuchi-class) - 9 in active service (2 Type 903, 7 Type 903A). *
Type 904 general stores issue ship The Type 904 general stores issue ship and its successors Type 904A and Type 904B are second generation general stores issue ships currently in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). A total of five units have been built and as of ...
(NATO designation Dayun-class) - 4 in active service (1 Type 904, 1 Type 904A, 2 Type 904B). *
Type 908 replenishment ship ''Qinghaihu'' is a replenishment oiler of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Ukraine sold the incomplete ship in 1992 to the People's Republic of China, where it was completed and commissioned in 1996. In Chinese service, the ship was ...
(NATO designation Fusu-class) - 1 in active service.


Development

Since the 1970s, underway replenishment has been widely practiced by destroyer and frigate combatants. In many overseas visits, a tanker has traditionally accompanied the visiting ship. The first replenishment ships built for the dedicated task of fleet refueling were the Fuqing-class replenishment ship, of which two remain in service. The next fleet replenishment vessel was purchased from Russia in the 1990s, being the single ''Nancang'' (Fusu-class). This ship is significantly superior to the Fuqing-class in terms of refueling systems and the storage capacity. Two new hulls of the indigenous Fuchi-class were commissioned into service by 2005. With five ships (and possibly a sixth vessel), the PLAN's ability to operate further away from home has been significantly enhanced. The demands of modern-day warfare has meant that logistic support ships in the navy are becoming vital.


Auxiliaries

The PLAN operates a very large number and variety of auxiliary vessels that are capable of supporting fleet and military operations both in a coastal and ocean theatres of war. PLAN auxiliary vessels are present in all three fleets, stationed in many naval bases and have increasingly exercised frequently alongside combatants. PLAN auxiliaries include tugboats, freighters, submarine tenders, research, survey ships, missile and satellite monitoring platforms, ice breakers, repair and communications, electronic warfare and monitoring, transport and training ships. Unlike warships of PLAN that are named per
Naval Vessels Naming Regulation The Naval Vessels Naming Regulation () is the China, Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy's regulation for naming its vessels. The regulation was published on 18 November 1978, and updated on 10 July 1986. Nomenclature References See als ...
which many PLAN auxiliaries do not follow, but instead, they are designated by a combination of two Chinese characters followed by a two or three-digit number. The first Chinese character denotes which Chinese fleet the ship is service with, with East (Dong, 东) for
East Sea Fleet The Eastern Theater Command Navy (东部战区海军, ETCN) is a formation of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the naval component of the Eastern Theater Command. The ETCN was reorganized from the East Sea Fleet (ESF) by 2016. C ...
, North (Bei, 北) for
North Sea Fleet The North Sea Fleet (NSF; ), concurrently the Northern Theater Command Navy (), is one of the three fleets of China's People's Liberation Army Navy. Headquartered in Qingdao, Shandong, the fleet provides naval forces to the Northern Theater Comma ...
, and South (Nan, 南) for
South Sea Fleet The Southern Theater Command Navy (STCN), or the South Sea Fleet (SSF) until 2018, is a formation of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and the naval component of the Southern Theater Command. History In December 1949, the Fourth Fi ...
. The second Chinese character is for hull classification, such as Barge (Bo, 驳) for
barge A barge is typically a flat-bottomed boat, flat-bottomed vessel which does not have its own means of mechanical propulsion. Original use was on inland waterways, while modern use is on both inland and ocean, marine water environments. The firs ...
, Survey (Ce, 测) for
survey vessel A survey vessel is any type of ship or boat that is used for underwater surveys, usually to collect data for mapping or planning underwater construction or mineral extraction. It is a type of research vessel, and may be designed for the pu ...
, Oil (You, 油) for
oil tanker An oil tanker, also known as a petroleum tanker, is a ship designed for the bulk cargo, bulk transport of petroleum, oil or its products. There are two basic types of oil tankers: crude tankers and product tankers. Crude tankers move large quant ...
, Repair (Xiu, 修) for
repair ship A repair ship is a naval auxiliary ship designed to provide maintenance support to warships. Repair ships provide similar services to destroyer, submarine and seaplane tenders or depot ships, but may offer a broader range of repair capability incl ...
, Rescue (Jiu, 救) for rescue ship, Transport (Yun, 运) for transport &
cargo ship A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's List of seas, seas and Ocean, oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. ...
, Tuo (tug, 拖) for
tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
, Water (Shui, 水) for water tanker, etc. When auxiliaries are reassigned to a different fleet, their pennant number would change accordingly. Some PLAN naval auxiliaries perform multiple functions and thus are referenced multiple times differently under various hull classifications. Furthermore, when PLAN auxiliaries are tasked to perform certain civilian missions such as in support of civilian research or construction projects, they are sometimes temporarily assigned different pennant numbers for the duration of those missions, thus making the accurate assessment of PLAN auxiliary fleet rather difficult. In addition, some PLAN auxiliaries especially
research vessel A research vessel (RV or R/V) is a ship or boat designed, modified, or equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel but others require a dedicated ...
s are jointly funded by other civilian agencies of Chinese government, and frequently conduct missions for these civilian agencies/departments, just like the way
Protezione Civile The (Civil Protection), officially (Civil Protection Department), is the national body in Italy that deals with the prediction, prevention and management of emergency events. It was established in 1992 by , which was updated in 2012, and it is ...
funded Italian San Giorgio-class amphibious transport dock (LPD) of the
Italian navy The Italian Navy (; abbreviated as MM) is one of the four branches of Italian Armed Forces and was formed in 1946 from what remained of the ''Regia Marina'' (Royal Navy) after World War II. , the Italian Navy had a strength of 30,923 active per ...
, and thus also performs disaster relief missions in addition to military operations. When these jointly owned and/or funded PLAN naval auxiliaries are subject to civilian agencies/departments & perform missions for them, they are often assigned a different pennant number & name, just as in some cases of PLAN naval auxiliaries are sometimes assigned different pennant numbers when performing certain civilian missions, thus making the accurate count of the PLAN auxiliary fleet even more complicated and difficult. Therefore, list provided here is seldom up-to-date. The following is a list of auxiliaries thought to be in service with the PLAN as of 2014–2015, but please note that it is a work in progress and often may not yet be complete and up to date. ; Hospital ships * 1
Type 920 hospital ship The Type 920 hospital ship (NATO reporting name: Anwei) is a class of hospital ship operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy of China. History (or ''Peace Ark''), the lead ship, commissioned in 2008, was the "center of China's maritime ...
(NATO designation Anwei-class) * 1
Chinese medical evacuation ship Zhuanghe ''Zhuanghe'' (865) () is a converted container ship that entered service with People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) South Sea Fleet in 2004. The modular container ship is intended for various missions with the primary task of medical evacuation, bu ...
(NATO designation unknown) * 1 Qiongsha-class ambulance transport (NATO designation Qiongsha-class) ; Icebreakers * 2 Type 272 icebreaker (NATO designation Yanrao-class) ; Barracks ship * 1 Chinese barracks ship Xu Xiake (NATO designation Daguan-class) ; Troop transport/ferry & cargo * 5
Qiongsha-class cargo ship Qiongsha (琼沙)-class cargo ship is a class of Chinese ship developed by China for its People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Originally intended as replacement of Galați-class cargo ship, these ships are mainly used for supplying garrisons in So ...
(NATO designation Qiongsha-class) * 1 Beidiao 990 ;Training ships * 1
Type 680 training ship The Type 680 training ship with NATO reporting name Dadu, otherwise known as ''Qi Jiguang'' is a training ship of the People's Liberation Army Navy. It joined the PLA Navy on 21 February 2017. Construction and career ''Qi Jiguang'' engaged in ...
(NATO designation Dadu-class) * 1
Type 679 training ship ''Zheng He'' is a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy training ship. Its NATO reporting name is Daxin. The ship is a Naval Academy unit based with the North Sea Fleet. ''Zheng He'' was the first domestically designed and built oceangoing tra ...
(NATO designation Daxin-class) * 1 Type 0891A training ship (NATO designation Dashi-class) * 2 Type 053 frigate (NATO designation Jianghu-class) - (2 Type 053H1G) ;Cargo transport * 3 Yantai-class (NATO designation Yantai-class) * 5 Type 081 cargo ship (NATO designation Hongqi-class) * 13 Danlin-class cargo ship (NATO designation Danlin-class) * 4 Dandao-class (NATO designation Dandao-class) * 2
Galați-class cargo ship The Galati-class cargo ship (as NATO reporting name, designated by NATO) is a Ship class, class of cargo ship of the People's Republic of China's People's Liberation Army Navy. Two were converted in the early-1970s from nine ships built in the 1960 ...
(NATO designation Galați-class) ; Coastal oil tankers * 9
Leizhou-class tanker References {{Ship classes of the Chinese Navy, state=uncollapsed Auxiliary ships of the People's Liberation Army Navy Auxiliary transport ship classes ...
(NATO designation Leizhou-class) * 8 Fulin-class oil tanker (NATO designation Fulin-class) * 2 Shengli-class oil tanker (NATO designation Shengli-class) * 7 Fuzhou-class tanker (NATO designation Fuzhou-class) * 3
Jinyou-class oil tanker The Jinyou-class oil tanker is a class of Chinese tanker ship that is in service with People's Liberation Army Navy The People's Liberation Army Navy, also known as the People's Navy, PLA Navy or simply Chinese Navy, is the naval warfare ...
(NATO designation Jinyou-class) ; Ballistic missile tracking * 6
Yuan Wang-class tracking ship The Yuan Wang-class ( ''Yuǎn wàng'') are a line of Chinese tracking ships used for surveillance and communication of launch vehicle rockets and intercontinental ballistic missiles by the People's Liberation Army Strategic Support Force. This ...
(NATO designation Yuanwang-class) ; Intelligence gathering * 1 Type 813 spy ship (NATO designation unknown) * 1 Type 814A spy ship (NATO designation Dadie-class) * 6 Type 815 spy ship (NATO designation Dondiao-class) ; Oceanographic surveillance ships * 2 Type 595 ocean surveillance ship (NATO designation unknown) * 1 Type 639 oceanographic surveillance ship (NATO designation unknown) * 3 Type 927 acoustic surveillance ships ; Oceanographic research, meteorological and hydrographic survey ships * 1 Chinese oceanographic research ship Xiangyanghong 5 (NATO designation unknown) * 1 Type 645 oceanographic research ship (NATO designation unknown) * 8 Type 625 research vessel (NATO designation unknown) * 5 Type 614 research vessel (NATO designation unknown) * 5 Type 635 hydrographic survey ship (NATO designation Yanlai-class) * 6 Type 636 hydrographic survey ship (NATO designation unknown) * 1 Type 988 hydrographic survey ship (NATO designation unknown) ; Submarine support * 1
Type 930 submarine rescue ship The Type 930 submarine rescue ship with NATO reporting name Hudong (沪东) class is a type of submarine rescue ship developed by China for the People's Liberation Army Navy The People's Liberation Army Navy, also known as the People's Navy ...
(NATO designation Hudong-class) * 3 Type 946 submarine rescue ship (NATO designation Dazhou, Dadong-class) * 3 Type 925 submarine support ship (NATO designation Dajiang-class) * 3 Type 926 submarine support ship (NATO designation Dalao-class) * 1 Type 648 repair ship (NATO designation unknown) ; Torpedo trials/retriever * 1 Type 906 torpedo trials craft (NATO designation unknown) * 1 Type 907A torpedo trials craft (NATO designation unknown) * 7 Type 917 torpedo retriever (NATO designation unknown) ; Weapons trials * 3 Type 909 weapon trials ship (NATO designation Wuhu-B-class) ; Sonar trials * 1 Chinese sonar trials ship Beidiao 993 (NATO designation Beidiao-class) ; Experimental ships * Chinese target ship Experiment 216 (NATO designation unknown) ; Rescue and salvage * 6
Type 922 rescue and salvage ship Type 922 rescue and salvage ship is a series of rescue and salvage ships developed by China for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and after decades of service they still remain active in other Chinese governmental establishments. Type 922 ...
(NATO designation Dalang-class) * 2 Type 917 rescue and salvage ship (NATO designation unknown) ; Dive tender * 2 Type 904 dive tender (NATO designation unknown) ; Tug boats * 4 Tuozhong-class (NATO designation Tuozhong-class) * 1 Daozha-class (NATO designation Tuozhong-class) * 15 Type 802 tug (NATO designation Gromovoy-class) * 3 Type 830 tug (NATO designation unknown) * 18 Type 837 tug (NATO designation Hujiu-class) * 19 Type 852 tug (NATO designation Roslavl-class) ; Degaussing & deperming * 2 Type 911 degaussing/deperming ship (NATO designation unknown) * 8 Type 912 degaussing/deperming ship (NATO designation unknown) ; Cable laying * 1 Type 890 cable layer (NATO designation Youzheng-class) * 7 Type 991 cablelayer (NATO designation Youdian-class) ; Buoy tenders * 6 Type 744 buoy tender (NATO designation Yannan-class) * 1 Type 999 buoy tender (NATO designation unknown)


Nomenclature

Ships of PLAN are named per
Naval Vessels Naming Regulation The Naval Vessels Naming Regulation () is the China, Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy's regulation for naming its vessels. The regulation was published on 18 November 1978, and updated on 10 July 1986. Nomenclature References See als ...
(中国海军舰艇命名条例) that was first issued by the Central Military Commission (CMC) on 3 November 1978, and subsequently revised 7 July 1986.


See also

*
People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force The People's Liberation Army Navy Submarine Force (PLANSF) is the submarine service of the People's Liberation Army Navy. It consists of all types of submarines in operational service organized into three fleets: the North Sea Fleet, the East Se ...
* List of active People's Liberation Army Navy ships


References


External links


Global Security: Chinese Warships
(globalsecurity.org) {{Ship classes of the Chinese Navy #1