Chinese navy commissions trio of apex predators
Three new vessels at Sanya Naval Base are commissioned into the PLAN. (CCTV)
The Chinese naval fleet grows by at least 60,000t in a single day as three new ships enter service.
Coinciding with the 72nd anniversary of its founding, on 23 April the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned three warships emblematic of its naval ambitions – a Type 075 LHD, a Type 055 guided-missile cruiser and a Type 094 SSBN.
Commissioning three capital vessels in one go is unprecedented, and their total tonnage comes to at least 60,000t. Such a figure eclipses the naval fleets of several regional countries such as the Philippines.
Chairman Xi Jinping attended the commissioning ceremony at Sanya Naval Base on Hainan Island, with all three entering the navy’s South Sea Fleet.
Alarmingly, a headline in
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
Read this Article
Get access to this article with a Free Basic Account
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 2 free stories per week
- Daily news round-up email service
- Access to all Decisive Edge email newsletters
Unlimited Access
Access to all our premium news as a Premium News 365 Member. Corporate subscriptions available.
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 14-day free trial (cancel at any time)
- Unlimited access to all published premium news
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Australia narrows SEA 3000 frigate designs to TKMS and MHI]()
Australia narrows SEA 3000 frigate designs to TKMS and MHI
Two modular frigate designs will be considered as the replacement to Australia’s ageing Anzac-class.
-
![Latest Arleigh Burke destroyer commissioned]()
Latest Arleigh Burke destroyer commissioned
The vessel, DDG 122, will be named after enlisted marine John Basilone.
-
![Kongsberg awarded $960 million missile contract]()
Kongsberg awarded $960 million missile contract
The contract could rise to as much as US$1.1 billion and follows an announcement last month that Kongsberg was building a missile production facility in the US to meet burgeoning global demand.
-
![New US Navy batteries are deemed submarine-safe]()
New US Navy batteries are deemed submarine-safe
The use of Passive Propagation Technology significantly reduces the risk of Lithium-ion batteries for use in torpedo tube launched AUVs.
-
![BAE Systems’ Herne XLAUV set to hunt for underwater intelligence]()
BAE Systems’ Herne XLAUV set to hunt for underwater intelligence
The Herne is modular, highly configurable underwater autonomous platform, with potential for both ISR missions in the short term and self-determined assistance surveillance later.
