Monday, June 16, 2025

Are those two Y-8 transports newly acquired by the Myanmar Air Force?

 As reported in Jan 2025 that the "The Myanmar Air Force has inducted at least eight new aircraft to partly replace losses in aircraft incurred since 2021" (link).  One of them identified as Y-8F200 transport aircraft.  Recently two newly produced Myanmar Air Force Y-8F200 were spotted in China (tail numbers MAF 5923 and 5924), suggesting that delivery has been completed.    

Interesting item number one - China can restart older aircraft manufacturing line open as the case of  the Y-8.    

Interesting item number two -  The Myanmar Air Force has chosen not to upgrade to the newer, more capable Y-9. Is this a cost-saving measure? To maintain consistency in training, logistics and maintenance across their Y-8 transport fleet? Your guess is as good as mine.







Sunday, June 15, 2025

Newly surfaced PLA landing barges / mulberry harbour, Jun 16th

 There are several good YouTube videos on the PLA landing barges out there, if you need a detailed analysis, you can look them up.    Here are the latest clear photos by 鼎盛大彪 of those guys








Saturday, January 11, 2025

CG of the day: Specialized Landing Barges

What would happen to the PLAN's amphibious warfare capabilities if it had access to a fleet of barges capable of accommodating civilian Ro-Ro?    That is currently a trending issue on Chinese military blogs.

To illiterate this concept, here's some CG by 大包CG (source link)







Saturday, October 05, 2024

PLA "Mulberry Harbour"

So this is what a Mulberry, temporary portable harbour (link) looks like.  Of course, having a civilian Ro-Ro STUFT-ed (Ships Taken Up From Trade) in the background is really icing on the cake.    The question of why the PLA would require such a temporary harbor, say 110 kilometers east of Fujian, your guess is as good as mine.






Monday, February 12, 2018

STUFT (Ships Taken Up From Trade) of the day: Zhang DaLong

SinoTrans CSC "Zhang DaLong" RORO weighting in 20,000 tons, just demonstrated it can deliver 2 fully armed PLA Army battalion battle-groups - including Type99A MBT - at open sea.  Is there any more questions regarding the existence of a Chinese STUFT program?  











Saturday, September 16, 2017


PLA's STUFT (Ships Taken Up From Trade) capacity in a North Korean crisis

While it is fashionable to cite the PLNA having the "capable of sea-lifting only one infantry division" (TM), but without the PLAN, the PLA can draw upon its own organic amphibious warfare assets, which is enormous in its own right.  Furthermore,  the CMC also has a long tradition of STUFT-ing civil assets in a crisis.

When-and-if the PLA is able to secure a beachhead near the plain of Pyonyang, undoubtedly they will use captured ports to send supply and reinforcement from Dailian, Yantai and Shanghai.   Distance between Pyongyang and Dalian 224 miles across the Yellow Sea. 

Here is a look at China's STUFT (Ships Taken Up From Trade) capacity as of 2012.

-  Bohai Ferry Fleet. 11x Ropax liners with 1400-1600 passengers + 200+ vehicle spaces each.  That is 22,000 vehicles and 28,000 troops. 

 - State owned CSC-sinotrans has 27 Ro-ROs 
 http://www.sinotrans-csc.com/art/2016/9/30/art_12507_221252.html
Jinling Shipyard has to date delivered 27 RORO ships of various types. It was awarded the project for the 16,000-ton RORO ships, further consolidating its advantageous position in the global RORO ship building sector, and indicating the acknowledgment by the ship-owner of the Jinling RORO brand for its fully guaranteed timely ship delivery. At present, Jinling Shipyard is has received the contracts for and is in the process of building 10 RORO ships, which fall into the four series, i.e., 6700-vehicle, 3800-vechile, 12,00-ton and 16,000-ton ships, with the ship-owners being internationally renowned big companies. 

 - Five Ocean going rail ferries.


In short,  if the CMC is committed to STUFT its entire Ro-Ro fleet, it could drop 150,000 troops together with their supply and vehicles in a single lift.  











Sunday, August 12, 2012


After Shangyang MR, Jinan MR is also getting STUFT-ed

China Launch Passenger RoRo Ship with Military Capability
PLA Daily
Friday, August 10, 2012

China's largest RoRo 'Bohai Emerald Bead' with the longest reach leaves Yantai Port in East China.

Different from ordinary ships, the 36,000 displacement civilian passenger and roll-on/roll-off ship was constructed in accordance with national defense requirements in mind in its design and construction so that it can carry organic troop units and heavy equipment.


The 178-meter-long and 28-meter-breadth ship can carry 2,000-plus persons and be loaded with over 300 vehicles of various sizes simultaneously.

The "Bohai Emerald Bead" is the first ship of its kind to be built in China, and there are three more of the same design under construction.

According to Rong Xianwen, director of the Military Transportation Department under the Jinan Military Area Command (MAC) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), the passenger and roll-on/roll-off ship is the most optimal ship type in maritime transportation of military troops as it possesses the advantages including large transportation quantity and high loading efficiency.

It is not only the means of transportation, but also a temporary barrack. Such type of ship is often utilized in military operations by western developed countries.











Sunday, August 12, 2012


After Shangyang MR, Jinan MR is also getting STUFT-ed

China Launch Passenger RoRo Ship with Military Capability
PLA Daily
Friday, August 10, 2012

China's largest RoRo 'Bohai Emerald Bead' with the longest reach leaves Yantai Port in East China.

Different from ordinary ships, the 36,000 displacement civilian passenger and roll-on/roll-off ship was constructed in accordance with national defense requirements in mind in its design and construction so that it can carry organic troop units and heavy equipment.


The 178-meter-long and 28-meter-breadth ship can carry 2,000-plus persons and be loaded with over 300 vehicles of various sizes simultaneously.

The "Bohai Emerald Bead" is the first ship of its kind to be built in China, and there are three more of the same design under construction.

According to Rong Xianwen, director of the Military Transportation Department under the Jinan Military Area Command (MAC) of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), the passenger and roll-on/roll-off ship is the most optimal ship type in maritime transportation of military troops as it possesses the advantages including large transportation quantity and high loading efficiency.

It is not only the means of transportation, but also a temporary barrack. Such type of ship is often utilized in military operations by western developed countries.













Plastic models at the 55th Paris Air Show starting June 16th

 Source: The China Daily (link)


China's advanced fighter jet J-10CE takes center stage at the Aviation Industry Corp of China booth during the 55th Paris Air Show, set to debut on Monday in the French capital.

A large model of the J-10CE, equipped with China's top-tier long-range air-to-air missile PL-15Es, was displayed at the booth. Positioned alongside is the model of China's latest stealth fighter jet, the J-35A, which is making its inaugural international appearance following its declassification in November.

 

Models of JF-17 Block III, Y-20 and KJ-500 Medium AEW/AWACS are also featured. 

 






 

Saturday, June 14, 2025

Checking into China's navy shipyards Jun 14th

 In Shanghai's Jiangnan-Changxing Shipbuilding Company Limited, a Type54Amod is being fitted out. Type H/JP87A 100mm Naval Gun and an enlarged hanger capable of supporting of Z-20 choppers are noticeable new features of the Type54Amod.

 

Near by are:  076 Sichuan, new batch of Type055 and Type052D DDGs, Type 089 Li Daoyuan Barrack /Nanny ship accompanying the aircraft carrier 003 Fujian.   It is one busy place for sure.





 






Saturday, August 03, 2024

A new batch of Type054Amod FFG under construction at Guangzhou

 While a new class of Type054B FFG is undergo sea trials, the PLAN surprised many by ordering a new batch of ten new Type54A FFG with the following medications: A larger hanger to better accommodate the Z-20F anti-submarine reconnaissance helicopter, an improved H/PJ-87A 100mm Main Gun over the previous batch's standard H/PJ-26 76mm, and a new rear mast active phased array low-altitude fast-scanning radar, most likely the Type368 rather than the Type364, found on other late batch Type54As.    

There were five batches of ten Type054A each; once the sixth batch is completed, the total number of Type054A will be 60.

 

Guangzhou Huangpu Shipyard