Both airplanes served as backdrops for a PLAAF group wedding. Group weddings have gained popularity in China in recent years as a way to foster camaraderie and alleviate the financial burden on troops. These ceremonies are organized by their respective units.
Photos from another wedding http://www.81.cn/tp_207717/16342570.html
On April 15, 2025, "China Military" released a series of posters, one of which featured a new type of comprehensive submarine rescue ship, hull number 840, confirming that this new support ship has been commissioned as a unit of the Northern Theater Command Navy. While Ship 840 was registered last year, however its name is not yet known.
Note the helicopter landing pod is at a rather unusual spot for a PLAN ship
'Most advanced' rescue sub tested
Rescue vessel
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7607972.stm
The rescue sub can operate in depths of up to 300 metres.
The world's most advanced rescue submarine, commissioned by the Chinese Navy, is undergoing trials at an underwater centre in Fort William.
Capable of operating in depths of more than 300 metres, its size means it can rescue up to 18 people at once.
The trials are taking place in Loch Linnhe, where water depths are up to 150 metres.
The vessel could deal with incidents such as Russia's Kursk disaster 2000, in which 118 sailors died.
Once the first phase of tests are completed, the LR7 will take part in a simulated rescue.
The final phase of trials, part of an extensive testing and design process, will include pilot training.
The vessel was designed and developed by Perry Slingsby Systems, part of the Aberdeen-based Triton Group.
BBC reporter Ben Geoghan described the experience of going down in the submarine as "quite comfortable". He said the main advantage of the LR7 is its large size.
He added: "There is, what someone described to me, as something of an underwater space race going on. One which presumably the Chinese now are leading, but the Koreans and Singaporeans are not far behind.
"The real test will come when we do get another accident at sea involving a sub to see which vessel is deployed and whether they do manage to bring back survivors."
The rescue submarine itself has a relatively quick turnaround time and can stay underwater for up to four days.
Martin Anderson, chief executive of Triton Group, said it was an "extremely exciting development".
After the trial is complete, the LR7 will undergo further checks and be fitted with ancillary equipment before being delivered to China for sea trials.
The Chinese Navy PLAN's second Type 909A "weapons integration" test ship was launched at the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in March 2006.
Initially bearing a hull number (892, later changed to 856 in 2021) and bearing the name of Hua Luogeng (link) in honor of the renowned Chinese mathematician born in 1910). It was commissioned into the North Sea Fleet
In this PR photo released yesterday, Hua Luogeng 856 is showing off a new AESA active phased array radar is installed at the stern, continuing its role as a test ship. See previous blog entries blow
Deployment of Land Attack Cruise Missiles (LACM) on Chinese warships will bring new dimensions to diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific.
Images have surfaced of a naval variant of the DH-10 LACM on a China Navy test vessel. The missile canisters spotted appear to be virtually identical to the land-based variant. This sort of arrangement is reminiscent to the deployment of the BGM-109 Tomahawk on United States Navy surface combatants by way of the MK-143 Armored Box Launcher. The MK-143 enabled vessels such as the Iowa Class Battleships and Spruance Class Destroyers to launch the BGM-109.
The images suggest that the DH-10 would be installed in the same way as the YJ-62 or YJ-83 anti-ship missiles. This is advantageous for the current generation of China Navy surface combatants, giving designs such as the 052C land attack capability with minimal structural modification. However, the downside is that the arrangement would sacrifice anti-ship capabilities by substituting the YJ-62 or YJ-83 systems with DH-10 launchers. It also means that only a maximum of eight missiles can be carried and that is assuming the launch canisters can be stacked on top of one another.
In spite of its disadvantages and simplicity compared to the deployment of vertically launched LACMs by other navies, the adoption of a naval variant of the DH-10 is a considerable capability leap for Beijing. This development would enable China to complete its “cruise missile triad”, complementing the already in-service land-based system and the air-launched variant, the CJ-10. Missiles launched from land-based platforms are restricted to striking targets around China’s periphery, not so dissimilar to the range limitations faced by the Second Artillery Force’s inventory of conventional ballistic missiles. Missiles launched from the air force’s H-6 bombers provide more operational flexibility and reach for China’s cruise missiles, similar to the way in which the United States Air Force deploys cruise missiles from its bomber fleet. However, without aerial refueling capability and heavy fighter protection, the H-6 is an aircraft restricted to limited regional operations. The bomber’s obsolete design, slow speed and its vulnerability to interception are weighing heavily against its potential strategic roles.
The China Navy, on the other hand, is the only branch of the Chinese military capable of projecting limited power far beyond China’s shores. While it is debatable whether the China Navy would seek the same sort of global reach as the United States Navy, the possession of ship-launched LACMs would essentially enable Chinese warships to conduct long range precision attacks against land targets around the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The implications are strategic locations that were traditionally distance away from China mainland could now be potentially brought within the firing range of DH-10 armed vessels.
The fact that DH-10 is mounted on a test vessel that has yet sail suggests that it is still very early its development cycle. If the rumored Type 052D destroyer, the successor of the 052C that is reportedly under construction is mounted with DH-10, then a universal vertical launch system for Chinese armed forces is a reality.
It would also be interesting to monitor the future development of an undersea DH-10 systems as arming Beijing’s fleet of conventional and nuclear attack submarines with submarine-launched DH-10 missiles will have far reaching implications.
--cloneattacks
As the PLAN expands, it continues to move ships from one flotilla to another, making tracking PLAN Orbat a rather unenviable task. Thanks to the Chinese Internet, we now have an update on the 1st Squadron, 19th Frigate Flotilla, Yulin Naval Base, South Sea Fleet.
This four-ship squadron is confirmed to have four Type54A FFG, they are:
Zhoushan Naval District is now recommissioned as 14th Frigate Flotilla (第14护卫舰支队), Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province
21st Fast Attack Flotilla is now recommissioned as 15th Frigate Flotilla (第15护卫舰支队), Ningde, Fujian Province
Heavy Pikeman Infantry + Kung Fu flying kick, the PLA is now officially invincible.
Finally, the PLA frontier defense heavy infantry is now receiving
much-needed equipment standardization and enhanced armor, including leg
and elbow guards. Yes, after more than 2000 years, the poor PLA
infantry is now headed in the correct way in terms of adequate armor
protection, closing the gap with their Han Dynasty counterparts.
I am not crying, just have sands in my eyes......
After reviewing the modern Chinese heavy shield infantry and Phalanx / Mandarin
Duck formations, next up is the mysterious PLA Light Cavalry. The PLA
Light Cavalry, like other Light Cavalries such as the legendary
Mongolian equivalent, is trained as swift scouts and battlefield
raiders. As a result, they traded heavy armor for speed and mobility,
allowing them to perform critical missions such as performing
reconnaissance, quick raids against the enemy's rear, and protecting the
flanks of the main army. At least in principle. In actuality, as
evidenced by the photographs below, they are not properly armed for
modern combat of 2024. While it is understandable that they are not
protected with plate armor, they are also not wearing mail shirts for
little protection against arrows or melee warfare.
As
several famous PLA professional analysts have properly pointed out, the
PLA has not performed a massive cavalry charge since the mid Qing
dynasty, 200 years ago, thus it is understandable that they will not
know how to handle modern combat. They are untested. Additionally,
they appear to be equipped just with a saber and a composited bow, with
neither shield or lance to be found. Furthermore, crucial two-way
communication technology such as Ram Horn is not available at the
squadron level; as some well-known PLA professional analysts have
pointed out, corruption at the top levels is to blame for not equipping Ram Horn to each troop.
Good to see that the Mandarin Duck formation is alive and well. With that being said, a plate armor upgrade would be a great next step upgrade.
What's wrong this this PLA Phalanx? For starter, their spears are too short, lacking standards. What? no shield? Yikes, only four rank deep.
I am telling you, they would not stand a chance against Little Alex’s Macedonian phalanx of 323 BC. No not a chance.
Man,
oh man, the PLA Hastati border guard is carrying a cheap, Chinese
knockoff gladius that isn't even sharp to start. Their scuta also
appears to be of low quality.
Group photo of this 13-member Contubernium
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