Mission
Peacetime:- Sea patrols of territorial waters
- Establish presence in disputed territorial waters and protect current interests
- Anti-piracy, anti-smuggling, search and rescue
- Maintain security of territorial waters
- Active logistical support role of combatants and island garrisons
- Maintain security of Sea Lines of Communications
- Littoral defense of local seas
- Blockade or protection of vital ship routes and choke points
- Tactical transport, support, and amphibious operations of ground forces
- Air defense
- Anti-submarine operations
- Engagement of enemy shipping
- Active logistical support role of combatants and island garrisons
History
1950s and 1960s
Through the upheavals of the late 1950s and 1960s the Navy remained relatively undisturbed. Under the leadership of Minister of National Defense Lin Biao , large investments were made in naval construction during the frugal years immediately after the Great Leap Forward . During the Cultural Revolution , a number of top naval commissars and commanders were purged, and naval forces were used to suppress a revolt in Wuhan in July 1967, but the service largely avoided the turmoil affecting the country. Although it paid lip service to Mao and assigned political commissars aboard ships, the Navy continued to train, build, and maintain the fleets.1970s and 1980s
In the 1970s, when approximately 20 percent of the defense budget was allocated to naval forces, the Navy grew dramatically. The conventional submarine force increased from 35 to 100 boats, the number of missile -carrying ships grew from 20 to 200, and the production of larger surface ships , including support ships for oceangoing operations, increased. The Navy also began development of nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) and nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN).Into the 21st century
As the 21st century approached, the PLAN began to transition to an off-shore defensive strategy that entailed more out-of-area operations away from its traditional territorial waters.Between 1989 and 1993, the training ship Zhenghe paid ports visits to Hawaii, Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. PLAN vessels visited Vladivostok in 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996. PLAN task groups also paid visits to Indonesia in 1995; North Korea in 1997; New Zealand, Australia, and the Philippines in 1998; Malaysia, Tanzania, South Africa, the United States, and Canada in 2000; and India, Pakistan, France, Italy, Germany, Britain, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand in 2001.In March 1997, the Luhu-class guided missile destroyer Harbin, the Luda-class guided missile destroyer Zhuhai, and the replenishment oiler Nancang began the PLA Navy's first circumnavigation of the Pacific Ocean, a 98-day voyage with port visits to Mexico, Peru, Chile, and the United States, including Pearl Harbor and San Diego . The flotilla was under the command of Vice Admiral Wang Yongguo, the commander-in-chief of the South Sea Fleet.
Current status
The People's Liberation Army Navy has become more prominent in recent years owing to a change in Chinese strategic priorities. The new strategic threats include possible conflict with the United States and/or a resurgent Japan in areas such as the Taiwan Strait or the South China Sea . As part of its overall program of naval modernization, the PLAN has a long-term plan of developing a blue water navy . Current modernizations, however, represent a naval force that is best suited to cooperation rather than competition with other world powers.Robert D. Kaplan has said that it was the collapse of the Soviet Union that allowed China to transfer resources from its army to its navy and other force projection assets.
2008 Anti-piracy operations
On 18 December 2008, Chinese authorities deployed People's Liberation Army Navy vessels to escort Chinese shipping in the Gulf of Aden.This deployment came after a series of attacks and attempted hijackings on Chinese vessels by Somali pirates . Reports suggest two destroyers (Type 052C 171 Haikou and Type 052B 169 Wuhan) and a supply ship are the ones being used. This move was welcomed by the international community as the warships complement a multinational fleet already operating along the coast of Africa. It will be the first time Chinese warships have deployed outside the Asia-Pacific region for a military operation since Zheng He in the 15th century. Since this operation PLAN has sought the leadership of the ‘Shared Awareness and Deconfliction’ body (SHADE), which would require an increase in the number of vessels contributing to the anti-piracy fleetEquipment
The PLAN initially utilized Soviet-based hardware as the backbone of their forces, with increasing domestic production over time. In the last several years, the PRC has made progress in modernizing its fleet with the purchase of Sovremenny class destroyers and Kilo class submarines , as well as producing sophisticated domestic designs such as the Lanzhou class destroyers and the Yuan class submarines .China's submarine fleet has also made advances. The Song and Yuan-class subs are quieter than their predecessors and the Kilo-class subs are equipped with two next-generation weapons: the Klub anti-ship cruise missile and the VA-111 Shkval torpedo. Some Chinese submarines, including the Kilo and Yuan, are also thought to have air-independent propulsion , which would allow them to remain submerged for longer periods of time than they could previously maintain.
Chinese naval technology has improved, in part due to Russian assistance. Its latest destroyers use more local hardware of an improved quality, such as better fire-control systems, stealth technology in their hull designs to reduce their radar profile, and C4ISR systems.
However, despite these rapid advances, roughly half of China's major combat vessels and the bulk of the smaller vessels are still from older, obsolescent classes and not replaced by newer ones.
Future fleet
The PLAN's ambitions include operating out to the first and second island chains, as far as the South Pacific near Australia, and spanning to the Aleutian islands , and operations extending to the Straits of Malacca near the Indian Ocean.The future PLAN fleet will be composed of a balance of assets aimed at maximising the PLAN's fighting effectiveness. On the high end, there would be modern destroyers equipped with long range air defense missiles (Type 052B , Type 052C , Type 051C ); destroyers armed with supersonic anti-ship missiles ( Sovremenny class ); advanced nuclear powered attack and ballistic missile submarines (Type 093 , Type 094); advanced conventional attack submarines (Kilo and Yuan ); aircraft carriers and large amphibious warfare vessels capable mobilizing troops at long distances. On the medium and low end, there would be more economical multi-role capable frigates and destroyers (upgraded Luda , Luhu , Jiangwei II , Jiangkai); fast littoral missile attack craft (Houjian , Houxin , Houbei); various landing ships and light craft; and conventionally powered coastal patrol submarines (Song).
The future fleet will have the obsolete combat ships (based on 1960s designs) phased out in the coming decades as more modern designs enter full production. It may take a decade for the bulk of these older ships to be retired. Until then, they will serve principally on the low end, as multi-role patrol/escort platforms. Their use could be further enhanced in the future by being used as fast transports or fire support platforms. This system of phasing out would see a reversal in the decline in quantity of PLAN vessels by 2015, and cuts in inventory after the end of the Cold War could be made up for by 2020.
During 2001-2006 there has been a rapid building and acquisition program.There were more than a dozen new classes of ships built in these last five yaers , totalling some 60 brand new ships (including landing ships and auxiliaries). Simultaneously, dozens of other ships have been either phased out of service or refitted with new equipment.
There had been speculation about the PLAN building or acquiring an aircraft carrier , but on 23 March 2009 China's defense minister, Liang Guanglie , confirmed the country's plans to build its own aircraft carrier . According to Vice Admiral David J. Dorsett of the U.S. Navy, sea trials of the refitted Varyag may start in late 2011.The ex-Varyag aircraft carrier finished refurbishment on 10 August 2011, and is currently undergoing sea trials.
Submarines play a significant role in the development of the PLAN's future fleet. This is made evident by the construction of a new type of nuclear ballistic missile submarine, the Type 094 and the Type 093 nuclear attack submarine. This will provide the PLAN with a more modern response for the need of a seaborne nuclear deterrent. The new submarines will also be capable of performing conventional strike and other special warfare requirements.
Ronald O'Rourke of the Congressional Research Service reported that the long term goals of PLAN planning include:
- assert or defend China’s claims in maritime territorial disputes and China’s interpretation of international laws relating to freedom of navigation in exclusive economic zones (an interpretation at odds with the U.S. interpretation);
- protect China’s sea lines of communications to the Persian Gulf, on which China relies for some of its energy imports; and
- assert China’s status as a major world power, encourage other states in the region to align their policies with China, and displace U.S. regional military influence.
