This is interesting if accurate. Yes, the step platform is present, the hangars are space widely apart, essentially eliminating the space needed for RHIB garages (which are near the stacks). The rear VLS seems to NOT be sized the same as the front VLS in terms of width, even if it's not turned sideways the widths don't match up.
Admittedly I don't think we know enough specifics to know how they go about their personnel planning and preparation for new ships, *but* the PLAN hasn't shown itself to procure more than it's ready to operate before, and it's pretty basic to all navies that your ships don't have too many differences in how they're operated, and you rotate sailors around from a larger reserve to both allow for rest and also broaden training, so it's not like there isn't already a pool to draw from. It's also pretty basic to most navies that if you are bringing online new equipment that needs special training land based facilities can be used for your first few companies, and China is a big enough navy where we can be pretty certain they do this (I want to say we have direct evidence for this but I haven't catalogued all the naval information we've shared within this community, so I'll leave it to others to say for sure).
Same point, though perhaps in more verbatimLet me look at it from another angle.. a more practical side
start with the basics (no pun intended) hehehe
How many sailors is PLAN churning out from basic training (bootcamp)? How may from OCS? Is there a shortfall? a deficit etc?
I'm totally not familiar with PLAN's initiatives and recruit training programs, outreach etc but I'm sure some here do.
They are not in the same category... but AB Fl III going to have a powerful AAW armament with new radar and SM-6, later in more AGM-158C.Hopefully, they are not going to say, the ship is a DDG1000 or Ali Burke Knock-off!
Sword C90 Stealth Corvette by Constructions Mecaniques de Normandie (CMN)Four antennas, masts integrated front and rear (the latter incorporating the engine exhaust), ...