PLAN Current Vessel Inventory Thread

[Suetham]

Feel free to give input or correct any mistakes everyone. Also @Matheus S it would be interesting for you to include all Chinese vessels from all branches not just the Navy so we can get a full accounting of both the US and Chinese fleets. This is in metric tons, which I assume yours is as well, and subs are in submerged displacement as is the norm.

I am considering doing this, but the PLAN does not disclose the displacement of some units, in this list that I organized, many ships were missing that I could have added, but in the tonnage comparison it would be impossible due to lack of information, but I am considering doing that.

 

[Suetham]

I think that's because it is the default almost everywhere. IMO you should change it all to submerged displacement so we can get an appropriate comparison. Everyone will be confused otherwise.

We can do this. As soon as I update, I'll post it in the thread.

 

[sinophilia]

We can do this. As soon as I update, I'll post it in the thread.

Great! Thanks.

but the PLAN does not disclose the displacement of some units, in this list that I organized, many ships were missing that I could have added, but in the tonnage comparison it would be impossible due to lack of information

Is there any chance of you getting reasonable estimates? If so, I think being +5% off here and -5% off there could end up being good enough to give a fairly accurate total.

If you do end up composing a complete list of all PLAN (and other branches?) ships, I would think even those that you do not have the slightest clue about you should at least post them and put a ? or something. That way we at least have a comprehensive ship count to go on.

As you can see if you count ships of all branches the US has over 11.2 million metric tons of fully loaded displacement.. China only 3 million. Clearly this is not because the US is almost 4x the size, but because there are plenty of large auxiliary ships, possibly some in other branches of the Chinese federal government, that are not included.

I mean look at the US MARITIME ADMINISTRATION (69 ships at 2,460,125 metric tons total). Most of those ships are barely functional and old. Most of them will never be activated. But I included them because they are technically part of the federal government fleet. Even in MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND, a large number of ships are only leased.

Hopefully we can get the same for all branches of Chinese government.

 

[Tam]

So didn't count the Chinese Coast Guard (164 ships) and the Chinese MSA. All sorts of state owned ships, such as oceanographic vessels, research vessels, ships of state owned entities, which can in a notice, become auxiliaries. State owned COSCO alone has over 1400 ships.

 

[sinophilia]

So didn't count the Chinese Coast Guard (164 ships) and the Chinese MSA. All sorts of state owned ships, such as oceanographic vessels, research vessels, ships of state owned entities, which can in a notice, become auxiliaries. State owned COSCO alone has over 1400 ships.

Yes all those that may be used for or in support of military and defense operations should be included. I'm not sure how many of the COSCO ships would be included but they have a total displacement of over 100,000,000 metric tons.

 

[Tam]

Yes all those that may be used for or in support of military and defense operations should be included. I'm not sure how many of the COSCO ships would be included but they have a total displacement of over 100,000,000 metric tons.

The Yuan Wangs alone are probably over 20,000 tons, and there are seven of them.




Some of the ships that are dual use.





The Sansha class ferry (middle picture) is interesting because it is retrofitted with the same EO seen in PLAN ships and could monitor foreign vessels nearby, if it is not ferrying troops, people and supplies to the various South China Sea islands.

 

[sinophilia]

The Sansha class ferry is interesting because it is retrofitted with the same EO seen in PLAN ships and could monitor foreign vessels nearby, if it is not ferrying troops, people and supplies to the various South China Sea islands.

Indeed, assumptions are going to have to be made. It's not like the US where they have a full accounting and inventory.

I think @Matheus S can do it but it may take dozens of hours of research!