The main directions of development of the Chinese Navy until 2030
In the future, until 2030, the military and political leadership of the People's Republic of China is implementing a plan for the development of the Navy, aimed at qualitative improvement without significantly increasing the number and combat strength. Its goal is to achieve control of the sea area inside the "first line of islands", to confront foreign fleets beyond its borders, and to constantly conduct combat patrols in the World Ocean.
The main areas of development include:
– development of a naval theory defining the nature and principles of combat use of the Navy;
– development of new projects of ships of the main classes and their construction, as well as modernization of the existing ship composition;
– increasing the combat potential through the development of weapons and military equipment (IWT), improving operational and combat training;
– improvement of the organizational and staff structure;
– modernization of the management system;
– improvement of the logistics support system.
Military theoretical research is aimed at developing a theory of future warfare at sea and determining the possible nature of naval warfare in wars and conflicts of various scales, to determine the impact of new types of ships and weapon systems on the forms of combat use. Priority will be given to the concept of "ocean navies" – the transformation of China into a strong maritime power projecting the combat power of the Navy in the oceans.
The combat strength of the Navy will not undergo significant quantitative changes until 2030. The main efforts will be directed at the qualitative improvement of the ship's composition and the fleet of combat aircraft, the deployment of several carrier strike groups (AUG), the build-up of amphibious amphibious capabilities of the fleet, the formation of parts of deck and base patrol aircraft.
The modernization of the military-industrial complex is provided for in two main directions: the creation and improvement of its own samples, as well as the purchase of weapons abroad, including in the Russian Federation. At the same time, China intends to use the acquired weapons and technologies to develop its own analogues.
The construction of aircraft carriers, large surface ships, nuclear submarines with ballistic missiles (SSBMS), amphibious assault ships, marine robotic complexes will continue. It is planned to create AUG for operations in the far ocean zone.
Work on the creation of a new generation of SSBMS will be completed. This is the Jin series (094 Ave.) with 12 Jiulan-2 launchers (firing range up to 8 thousand km). They will go on combat duty in the western Pacific. From combat patrol areas, these SSBMS will be able to hit targets in the territories of the United States and Russia.
Six nuclear submarines of the types "Han" (ave. 091) and "Shan" (ave. 093) are already in service. The Shang series will replace the Han-type boats, which are planned to be withdrawn from the fleet.
About 55 diesel submarines (DPL) of the types "Min" (ave. 035), "Kilo" (Russian ave. 877/633), "Romeo", "Sun" (ave. 039) and "Yuan" (ave. 041) will be in service. The development of the DPL is associated with the modernization of boats of the "Song" type and the continuation of the construction of boats of the "Yuan" type.
Efforts in the development of surface forces are planned to focus on the construction of aircraft carriers and destroyers with guided missile weapons. The main tasks for aircraft carriers are defined as the air defense of ship formations and maneuver-based points, air support of amphibious operations and actions of troops in coastal areas, protection of national interests in remote theater, etc.
In the future, aircraft carriers of national construction will be equipped with a nuclear power plant and a catapult (steam or electromagnetic).
The destroyers will be based on ships of the Kunming type (052D Ave.) with universal vertical launch installations (Donghai-10 cruise missiles, Hongqi-9 anti-aircraft guided missiles, Yingji-62 anti-ship missiles and anti-submarine missiles). They are equipped with a multifunctional weapon control system – an analogue of the American Aegis system. The destroyers will have expanded fire support capabilities for the actions of the PLA expeditionary combined arms formations in the coastal areas. In China, it is believed that the destroyers of the 052D Ave. will not be inferior to the American "O. Burke" model 2A. Other ships of this class will be withdrawn from the fleet and systematically replaced with new models.
The PLA Navy Command is planning the gradual decommissioning of obsolete frigates and the construction of new ships, ave. 057, as well as corvettes, ave. 056.
The process of updating and increasing the number of landing ships will continue (primarily in the Eastern and Southern Fleets). This will make it possible to carry out various amphibious operations, including operational and strategic ones. It is planned to build a universal landing ship pr. 075 with shortened take-off and landing aircraft, which will increase the radius of combat use of AUG.
The minesweeping ships will undergo planned modernization and will be represented by mine-fighting ships of the types "Hotsiu" (082-II Ave.), "Vosao", "Wuchuan" (081, 081A Ave.), "43" (010 Ave.) and a minelayer of the type "Voley".
Today, the PLA Navy is armed with combat boats of the types "Houbai" (ave. 022), "Houxin" (ave. 037/1G), "Houjian" (ave. 037/2). By 2025, most of the boats of ave. 037/1G and 037/2 will be decommissioned, the basis will be the combat boats of ave. 022.
The Fleet Command plans to continuously optimize the organizational and staff structure of formations and re-equip them with modern models of equipment. This will reduce the gap in technical equipment and combat capabilities of the PLA Navy from the fleets of the leading countries of the world.
Vasily Ivanov
