China PLA Navy News

[UpForce]

The PLA Navy Comes of Age: Big Decks and More
By Captain James E. Fanell, U.S. Navy (Retired), May 2025, Proceedings of the U.S. Naval Institute Vol. 151/5/1,467

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2025/may/pla-navy-comes-age-big-decks-and-more

Comes with a video as well:

View: https://youtu.be/Nmpr-fav9-E

 

[Grey Havoc]

China is Preparing to Counter U.S. Submarine Surveillance System

While much of the international attention on China’s naval buildup is focused on its rapidly modernizing surface fleet, the Peop...

maritime-executive.com

 

[collins355]

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://news.usni.org/2025/07/25/japan-reports-rare-sighting-of-chinese-navy-submarine-support-ship

A Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Dakai-class submarine rescue ship sailed through the Tsushima Strait on Friday, marking the first time a Chinese submarine support vessel has been spotted in the area, Japanese officials said.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force confirmed the sighting of a PLAN ship bearing hull number 841 as it sailed east around 205 miles west of Japan’s Goto Islands. The Chinese ship sailed northeast through the Tsushima Strait to enter the Sea of Japan, according to the Japan Joint Staff Office. Maritime patrol aircraft from JMSDF Kanoya Air Base on the main island of Kyushu and Fleet Air Wing 4 based at Naval Air Facility Atsugi on the main island of Honshu shadowed the PLAN ship, according to the release.

The Dakai-class is the PLAN’s latest submarine rescue ship. The ship class entered service in 2024. Hull number 841 is the second ship of a class of three. The ship spotted on Friday is believed to have only entered operational service at the end of last year.

Friday’s transit followed a Thursday spotting of a three-ship PLAN surface group.

[snip]

t is not clear if the Dakai-class 841 is on a submarine support deployment or on a training cruise as a precursor to future submarine support deployments.

Earlier in the week, PLAN Dongdiao-class surveillance ship Tianlangxing (794) was sighted sailing west in an area 80 miles northeast of Miyako Island before entering the East China Sea by way of waters between Miyako Island and Okinawa, the JSO said. Tianlangxing previously in June sailed east through the Osumi Strait. Destroyer JS Amagiri (DD-154) shadowed the PLAN ship.

 

[helmutkohl]

It's been about a year, but what ever happened to this mysterious stealthy warship?
did it receive a designation? any more features identified?

China's Mysterious Stealthy Warship Has Headed Out To Sea (Updated)

What exactly China’s plans are for the ship remains unclear, but it built it and got it out to sea extremely quickly.

www.twz.com

 

[Josh_TN]

It’s so stealthy nobody can find it…

 

[Tomboy]

It's been about a year, but what ever happened to this mysterious stealthy warship?
did it receive a designation? any more features identified?

China's Mysterious Stealthy Warship Has Headed Out To Sea (Updated)

What exactly China’s plans are for the ship remains unclear, but it built it and got it out to sea extremely quickly.

www.twz.com

Its nothing, probably just a demonstrator/testbed. Pictures from the launch ceromony described it as a "comprehensive testbed".

 

[Grey Havoc]

Map shows where Chinese ships have been detected off Alaska

The U.S. Coast Guard told Newsweek that it remains ready to respond to adversaries operating in and around Alaskan and U.S. Arctic waters.

www.newsweek.com

 

[Grey Havoc]

China’s military wants to target US undersea sensor network: Analysis

Chinese experts believe that “the U.S. undersea surveillance system suffers from a number of vulnerabilities," according to a U.S. Naval College professor.

www.defensenews.com

 

[aonestudio]

After Six Years, CSSC Completes its Megamerger With CSIC

After years of preparation, the megamerger of Chinese shipbuilding giants CSSC and CSIC has finally been completed. Though the two enterprises have b...

www.maritime-executive.com

 

[aonestudio]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1966882559935345012

View: https://x.com/ChinaMilBugle/status/1966882559935345012

 

[Forest Green]

Reviewing the Chinese Navy in 2025 – Part I: The surface fleet​

Reviewing The Chinese Navy In 2025 - Part I: The Surface Fleet

Naval News takes a look at notable events for the Chinese Navy in 2025, In this first part we cover PLAN carriers, amphibs and escorts.

www.navalnews.com

 

[bobbymike]

https://news.usni.org/2026/01/07/chinese-merchant-ship-sports-electromagnetic-drone-launcher-vertical-launching-systems?fbclid=IwdGRleAPLrehleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEesR8NylESeEECPKTeNMXRPNyphk8RzuEZq3txOntIr4zIRukkW3zrebSmDbA_aem_I6HXtaGmMBQye6TLn-g6NA

 

[bobbymike]

https://news.usni.org/2026/01/29/chinas-next-generation-frigate-achieves-operational-capability?fbclid=IwdGRleAPomA5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeHH7K6IfemEmBVmq9WzHYV818b56hNlsOOSixI5x9rOLwdwYMICozSPctArM_aem_VcunI1k-hi94Z0tvJ8K44Q

 

[Forest Green]

China’s Largest Modern Naval Gun To Date Just Appeared On A Test Ship​

China's Largest Modern Naval Gun To Date Just Appeared On A Test Ship

A new 155mm gun could give Chinese warships added firepower for amphibious operations, as well as against targets at sea or even in the air.

www.twz.com

 

[targetpractice]

https://www.france24.com/en/live-ne...f-chinese-boats-mass-at-sea-raising-questions

Thousands of Chinese fishing boats have been massing in geometric formations in the East China Sea, in coordinated actions that experts believe are part of Beijing's preparations for a potential regional crisis or conflict.

 

[SUPER=BUG]

This is ridiculous, they are just some fishermen...

 

[targetpractice]

NYT and Business Insider from January

Thousands of Chinese Fishing Boats Quietly Form Vast Sea Barriers

China is practicing vast maneuvers that could be used to disrupt U.S. naval movement, a New York Times analysis of ship data reveals.

www.nytimes.com

Chinese fishing boats have been making some unusual moves lately in the East China Sea, satellite images and shipping data show

Shipping data showed the vessels gathering in distinct, coordinated lines in the East China Sea twice in recent weeks.

www.businessinsider.com

The first of these irregular movements of Chinese fishing boats occurred on December 25, with more than 2,000 ships forming two reverse L shapes with lines over 290 miles long off the coast of Shanghai. Then, on January 11, almost 1,500 vessels were spotted forming a single line in the same waters stretching roughly 300 miles. The New York Times first reported these activities.

Pretty interesting even if it is a glitch or has some other more prosaic explanation.

 

[Josh_TN]

It seems likely they are training either for picket operations or mine laying. Every boat drops a few and you now have a barrier hundreds of miles long of thousands of mines. Mine laying operations are part of the militia training.

 

[Scott Kenny]

https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2025/may/what-imperial-germany-teaches-about-chinas-naval-basing-ambitions

Not sure that this statement is accurate:

Unlike coal, oil cannot easily be extracted from captured merchant ships at sea, a practice that extended the range of German raiders.

Crude certainly cannot be, but it'd be doable to take the fuel off a merchant ship.