FLEETS #12: People's Liberation Army Navy

People's Liberation Army Navy, the rise of a new naval power

The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), published recently (April 9, 2015) an excellent report, the first unclassified report in six years, about the current and future capabilities of China's maritime forces. The document is titled  "The PLA Navy: New Capabilities and Missions for the 21st Century", and you can read it here. Moreover, for the first time ever, the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) is making available publicly two great identification and recognition guides of China’s myriad People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) ships. The first poster, a very detailed fleet poster, illustrates all the classes of PLAN and MLE warships and ships respectively, with 148 carefully labeled silhouettes. A second poster includes 89 photos, one for each class of ship (warship or law enforcement ship), aircraft, helicopter and drone. The first poster definitely is an excellent and very difficult work considering the amount of detail and information in order to depict the numerous classes of naval units.

In order to realize the growth of Chinese Navy, it is worth mentioning the following quote by Dr. Andrew S. Erickson: "Last year alone, China’s navy laid/launched/commissioned more than 60 vessels, more naval ships than any other country in the world! ONI expects similar achievement for 2015." Dr. Andrew S. Erickson is an Associate Professor in the Strategic Research Department at the U.S. Naval War College (NWC) and a core founding member of the department’s China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI). He serves on the Naval War College Review’s Editorial Board.  In his great website, Dr. Erickson analyzes the rise of the superpower and its capabilities. In relation to the ONI report, Dr. Erickson offers highlights from the document and explain their significance in his blog page here.

PLAN and MLE Recognition and Identification Guide. For the high resolution poster (2019-2020) click here.

Preview of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) Equipment. For the high resolution poster click here. If the link does not work try here.

PLAN and MLE Equipment. For the high resolution poster click here.

One more infographic that depicts the growth of Chinese Navy in comparison with Japanese Navy.

Chinese Navy vs Japanese Navy

And another infographic that illustrates the most important naval classes of submarines, destroyers, landing ships and frigates that serve or served in PLAN. This infographic does not include new classes of warships such as the Type 052D class of destroyers or other categories of warships such as fast attack craft etc.

PLAN major naval classes. For a high resolution poster click here.