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Showing posts with the label PLAN Type 52 D Destroyer

Can China's 'Dreadnought' Tip the Naval Balance? ( Source- The National Interest / Author- Lyle J. Goldstein)

PLAN Type-52D Destroyer ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / Author- 海防先锋) Source- The National Interest Author-  Lyle J. Goldstein As the U.S.-China naval rivalry unfolds across the Asia-Pacific, Washington sails with significant confidence through these turbulent waters. After all, the U.S. Navy still far exceeds the Chinese Navy in gross tonnage, retains the advantage in key domains such as submarine quieting, has a huge network of bases, and possesses loyal, highly motivated and strong allies to boot. Still, as this Dragon Eye column has pointed out in several instances, Beijing also has some reasons for confidence in this nascent rivalry. With respect to the territorial disputes on China’s maritime flank, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has an enviable level of strategic focus, but far and away its most important advantage is its favorable geography. That is to say that Chinese military planners enjoy the potent benefit of interior lines in almost any conceiva

War Games Reveal China's Real-Time Battlefield Networks ( Source- The National Interest / Author- Dave Majumdar)

PLAN Type- 54 Frigate ( Image credits- Wikimedia Commons / 樱井千一) Source- The National Interest Author- Dave Majumdar The next major war, should it happen, will require a higher level of coordination among air-, land- and sea-based forces across a larger area than ever before. Such networking is precisely what the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) tested this week as it conducted its war games in the South China Sea. According to the PLA Daily—which is the service’s official publication—at least three destroyers participated along with submarines, early warning aircraft, fighters and other forces. “This battle today was like fighting with your hands and feet bound. It was not fun to play,” Adm. Li Yan, deputy chief of staff of the South China Sea Fleet, told reporters. “However, this feeling is precisely the true state of the battlefield. Only through practicing in a variety of difficult situations in peacetime can you prepared for wartime without panic and

Japan’s Atago-Class Destroyer vs. China's 052D: Who Wins? ( Source- The National Interest / Author- Kyle Mizokami)

JS Ashigara ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Credits- United States Navy) Source- The National Interest Author- Kyle Mizokami The People’s Republic of China Army Navy (PLAN) is experiencing an unprecedented rise in ships and capabilities. China is building virtually every class of warship, from aircraft carriers to corvettes simultaneously, and in some cases, by the dozen. Of particular note is the Luyang III or Type 052D–class destroyer. Designed to provide anti-air area defense to a carrier battle group or amphibious ready group, the 052D is the defensive linchpin of any Chinese task force, particularly one operating beyond the range of land-based assets. Two destroyers have been commissioned into the PLAN, with another seven under construction and one more planned. At the same time, Japan is looking to modestly expand its surface warfare capabilities. The government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has approved plans to build two new Aegis air warfare destroyers, brin

China Commissions Second 'Carrier Killer Destroyer' ( Source- The Diplomat / Author- Franz Stefan- Gady)

Type-52 D class Destroyer Kunming ( Source- Wikimedia Commons / Author- 海防先锋) Source- The Diplomat Author- Franz Stefan-Gady The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned its second Type 052D Luyang III-class destroyer, the Yangsha, IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly reports. According to IHS Jane’s, the vessel was inducted into the PLAN’s South Sea Fleet in mid-July and will in all likelihood operate out of Yalong Bay naval base on Hainan Island. The first Type 052D Luyang III-class destroyer, Kunming, was launched in March 2014 and the Yangsha launched in July 2014. However, the vessel was commissioned a full 16 months after the Kunming, “suggesting an extensive program of trials,” according to the article. All in all, the PLAN plans to build a fleet of 12 Type 052D destroyers–nicknamed “Chinese Aegis”–before shifting production to the newer Type 055D multi-role cruiser. IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly further notes that “[e]arlier in July, the seventh