2013 China Russia Joint Naval Training

Sending a fleet as powerful as this for overseas exercises would've been unthinkable just five years ago as it would've stripped the PLAN of a good half of its modern surface combatant force, but now with the introduction of more 052Cs, a fleet's worth of 054As, and upcoming 052Ds, PLAN may soon be able to muster up three relatively potent modern SAGs like this exercise while keeping a token defensive fleet back including a small number of A team vessels and large number of B teamers, at home.

The 022s and now 056s supported by land based air cover should be more than adequate for protecting China's coast from all but the most powerful of hostile fleets.

This fleet does represent a large part of the NSF's blue ocean combat force, and it is interesting that no Sov DDGs were sent.

I think this task group will pretty much be the escort fleet for the Liaoning, and this exercise is pretty much s dry run to get the fleet and captains ready for when the Liaoning goes out for a long run.

Hmm but this taskforce draws an 052C and 052B from SSF, I wonder if they'd draw from different fleets for liaoning. It wouldn't be ridiculous, this is China's first CV after all and can probably afford some level of disjunction, and may even provide ships and crews from different fleets all a chance at CVBG ops to train them for future carriers once each fleet gets one.

plawolf said:

it is interesting that no Sov DDGs were sent.

Click to expand...

I thought for sure that the Russians announced that for the surface portion that the Slava CG, two Udaloy DDGs and one Sovremenny DDG were a part of the exercise. The 715 Bystryy Sov I believe. Along with a couple of FFGs and Corvettes.

Nice videos !

PLAN welcome to Vladivostock

It is expected a parade at the end of training.

Jeff Head said:

I thought for sure that the Russians announced that for the surface portion that the Slava CG, two Udaloy DDGs and one Sovremenny DDG were a part of the exercise. The 715 Bystryy Sov I believe. Along with a couple of FFGs and Corvettes.

Click to expand...

Sorry, I should have been more specific, I meant Sovs from the PLAN.

I think in the not too distant future the PLAN will be able to deploy three flotillas of DDG

One with "second" line DDG mainly 112, 113, 167, 115, 116, 168 and 169

Two with Type 052C and three with Type 052D

In addition they could pull on maybe three flotillas of FFG too, in total deploy six flotillas of surface warships, total 24 warships

This mainly because the Type 056 can perform regional patrols freeing up much of the high end naval fleets

I doubt the PLAN would arrange their fleets like that, it would be far better to mix the best and second line ships. AAW is not the only task a fleet needs destroyers for, for ASW and ASuW, an 052B, 052, or Sov will serve just as well as an 052C or D if not better.

Similarly, you get deminishing returns from adding additional 052C/D after the first few. Of course it would be best to have nothing but 052Ds like the USN only use Burkes, but with a sensible budget, it is better to mix and match your ships to have three strong fleets over two slightly more powerful fleets but a third noticeably weaker one. With its land based strength and 022 and 056s and other small ships, its not like China would be left open even if the PLAN's entire blue water fleet was deployed. Even if you need to maintain a strong surface fleet as a home guard, it would be better to have a credible force that can take any comers on equal footing rather than have a load of second rate ships that offer little over 056 and 022s.

Yes off course they would be mixed and matched to build a flotilla that has the desired requirements for thier specific operations

plawolf said:

Sorry, I should have been more specific, I meant Sovs from the PLAN.

Click to expand...

I believe that the PLAN feels that their 052B is, in effect the PLAN Sov, and that they believe (and with justification) that it is at least the equal of the Sov. So they sent a 052B instead. Newer, more modern systems wherever possible, etc.