Third Dongdiao class AGI Electronic Reconnaissance Ship.

Launched today in Shanghai.

Thursday, December 10, 2009

2nd DongDiao Class

The 2nd DongDiao class AGM/AGI was launched on December 10th, 2009 in Shanghai. It was designed by the No 708 design institute, the same institute that designed the YuanWang class space tracking ships, and constructed by the Shipyard 424 of the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group.

This 4600 ton (6000 ton maximum capacity) intelligence gathering ship is based on the smaller Daxin class training ship but instead of classrooms, it is packed with radars and other EW equipment. The first Dongdiao (851) class was launched in 1999 and commissioned by the East Sea Fleet. It is equipped with a pair of SEMT-Pielstick diesels to give it a top speed of 20 knots, and 5000nm range.

Unknown equipment is housed inside the radomes in both Dengdiao ships, but Hudong-Zhonghua labels them as "High Tech Radio Signals Gather-and-Process" ships.

The First Dongdiao Class (851)

 

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Photos of the day: AGI "Uranus" 853 returns home

Since its' commission in April 26th 2011, this China Navy's latest AGI "天王星" has been racking up miles "monitoring" the South China Sea situation.   It is now back home to Zhanjiang, HQ of the South Sea Fleet.

Notice the new 30mm CIWS mount and the Zhanjiang Gulf Bridge backdrop.

 While I think all "Uranus" jokes should be off limits here in CDF, ball jokes are not.

Could those be the new Venezuelan Type63A Amphibious Light Tank

Back in 2012, then el presidente Chavez ordered $500 million worth of "amphibious tanks"from China and the news went silent after the announcement.   Fast forward 2 years, a batch of newly minted Type63A mod is now rolling off production line sporting a woodland camouflage.   Those could be the amphibious tanks el presidente ordered -- There is no other reason for Norinco to restart its Type63A production line unless to fulfill an export order --  since the PLA switched to the newer generation of ZTD05 Amphibious family vehicles back in 2005.

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says his government will buy amphibious tanks from China for its military.

Chavez isn't saying how many of the armored vehicles Venezuela intends to buy, but says the deal signed Tuesday calls for a Chinese company to begin delivering the tanks next year.

He announced the deal in a speech to troops, saying the $500 million cost will be financed through loans that China has offered Venezuela in exchange for oil shipments.

In recent years Chavez has also agreed to billions of dollars in arms deals with Russia, buying fighter jets, helicopters, assault rifles and surface-to-air missiles.

The Venezuelan leader is seeking re-election in an October vote.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/04/chavez-venezuela-tanks-china_n_1648262.html

Venezuelan K-8 camouflage with a US M81 woodland design.

The newly minted Type63As spotted in China.

 

PLAN commission of the day: First Zubr LCAC 3325 commissioned.

17th Chinese naval escort taskforce departs 10 days early to join the MH370 search party

Note the newly commissioned Type052C DDG 150 Changchun


17th Chinese naval escort taskforce departs

(Source: China Military Online)   2014-03-25

The picture shows that the officers and men of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLAN) line up on March 24, 2014 at a naval port in Zhoushan city of east China's Zhejiang province to see the 17th escort taskforce of the PLAN off, which is about to depart.

　　 ZHOUSHAN, March 25 (ChinaMil) -- Approved by the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the 17th escort taskforce of the Navy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLAN) left a naval port in Zhoushan city of east China's Zhejiang province on the morning of March 24, 2014 ahead of schedule for the maritime areas in the Indian Ocean to search and rescue the missing plane of Malaysia Airlines.

　　It will then sail to the Gulf of Aden and the waters off the Somali coast to take over the escort task from the 16th escort taskforce of the PLAN.

　　In order to effectively carry out the search and rescue tasks for the missing plane of Malaysia Airlines, the taskforce finished the preparations 10 days earlier than scheduled, worked overtime to complete the materials loading, combat readiness and navigation preparation, carefully planned the search and rescue pre-plan of the taskforce and single-warship, and carried a large number of professional search and rescue equipment and various rescue materials such as ultraviolet disinfection vehicles, portable oxygen machines, health protection clothing and so on.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

China continues fighting pirates off Africa

Citing escalating cost, there were speculations that the China Navy would stop sending ships to the Gulf of Aden as part of an International Counter-Piracy efforts off Somalia.    I think the following official news release can put those speculations to rest for now.    The Chinese high command still believes the long-term benefits of modern naval diplomacy, deployment opportunities, training and exercises still outweigh the cost of sending ships afar.    In addition to hard military benefits, China’s on-going naval mission to fight pirates offers something sorely missing for her military – a good PR story.  

For an in depth analysis of China's Anti-piracy Operations in the Gulf of Aden thus far, Dr Andrew Erickson and Austin M. Strange's "No Substitute for Experience" is the best out there, bar none.  You can download their article from US Naval War College's China Maritime Studies Institute website here

http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2013/12/citing-escalating-cost-there-were.html

http://www.usnwc.edu/Research---Gaming/China-Maritime-Studies-Institute/Publications/documents/CMS10_Web_2.aspx 

China continues fighting pirates off Africa

(Source: Xinhua)   2013-12-28

http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/news-channels/china-military-news/2013-12/28/content_5709775.htm

　　BEIJING, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- China will continue to send naval fleets on escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, described by a Chinese naval officer as the nation's international obligation.

　　The pirates in the area have become more violent and are brazen in using weapons. Reinforcing escort forces is a real need and a long-term mission, Ding Yiping, deputy commander in the Chinese Navy, said on Thursday, the fifth anniversary of China's first such escort mission.

　　In the past five years, China has sent 16 fleets composed of 42 warships to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia, escorting 5,465 vessels and rescuing 42 ships attacked by the pirates, said Ding.

　　A total of 13,214 marines have participated in the escort missions.

　　Pirate activity has dropped off drastically in the wake of the escorts from various countries, Ding said. Only 11 incidents have been recorded this year to date, and none of them were successful.

　　The navy will expand its escort area and strengthen cooperation with international forces to ensure regional and world peace, he said.

　　Ding said that China has no plan to send its aircraft carrier to the area as it is still in sea trials and is not yet combat-ready.

Editor:Chen Jie

Second Type052D DDG 173 "Changsha" undergo sea trial near Zhoushan

Shortly after the commission of her sister ship DDG 172,  DDG173 is getting her sea trial to boot 

Photos of the day: Sino-EU CTF-465 anti-piracy exercise off Gulf of Aden