PLAN overseas deployment and excercises a list

Interesting. Looks like they'll be seeking to maintain a small, possibly enduring presence in the Mediterranean for the foreseeable future.

With their permanent three ship presence off Africa, and the stationing of a frigate in the Mediterranean, I can see them as the collection point for a greater PLAN presence to grow upon in future. Maybe add one more ship, over the next few years, maybe two, a few years later maybe throw in a permanent LPD or LHA, then a few years after that maybe add in a destroyer and another AOR, maybe an SSN for long endurance exercise, and before you know it you'll have a permanently stationed SAG, CSG, or quasi ARG there within a decade.

Bltizo said:

Interesting. Looks like they'll be seeking to maintain a small, possibly enduring presence in the Mediterranean for the foreseeable future.

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Well, we will have to see...but I tend to doubt it.

My guess is that the 570 is just going to relieve the 546 for the duration of the Syrian Chemical Weapon escort mission.

But we shall see.

Jeff Head said:

Well, we will have to see...but I tend to doubt it.

My guess is that the 570 is just going to relieve the 546 for the duration of the Syrian Chemical Weapon escort mission.

But we shall see.

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At the very least, we are seeing them towards a more sustained and normalized presence in that area of ocean (i.e.: africa + mediterranean, which I group as one in this case)

Seeing the piracy near Nigeria I would expect PLAN to be considering sending a frigate to the Atlantic. As no convoys are run there it will not be necessary to send a tanker too.

Jeff Head said:

Well, we will have to see...but I tend to doubt it.

My guess is that the 570 is just going to relieve the 546 for the duration of the Syrian Chemical Weapon escort mission.

But we shall see.

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I agree with you Jeff, I think the current activities in the Med are special circumstances rather than the new norm. Obviously in Peace Time, the PLAN will be able to go where they wish, but I cannot see it as a viable option under adverse conditions, not until such time as the PLAN is significantly bigger and has working support facilities throughout the Indian Ocean.

I believe PLA will deploy to where there will be significant Chinese interest & maritime trade, to show a warship or two loitering. This is significant to deter potential adversary of decisions or actions that will be deem detrimental to China interest. That's what navy are for and that's one of their core objectives as well. This is true to any deep ocean navy in the world and been in practice for centuries.



"The Yinhe incident (Chinese: 银河号事件) was a claim made in 1993 by the United States government alleging that the China-based regular container ship Yinhe (银河, "Milky Way") was carrying materials for chemical weapons to Iran. The United States Navy forced the Yinhe to stop in the international waters of the Indian Ocean for three weeks. The Chinese government subsequently agreed to have the ship searched in Saudi Arabia by a joint Saudi-U.S. team.."


Looking at the above incident, would such action have occurred if there are a PLA Navy 052Ds, 054As or twos loitering about the Indian Ocean in supposed "pretext" of countering piracy operation in gulf of Aden although it is a nobel main objective, but a second suppose "not publicized" mission objective is deterrence of possible coercive acts that will be taken on Chinese ships/interests such as above. Think about it....what if there's a suppose ships like a destroyer 052D commanded to rush to the scene, what possible of such international incidents? There are things not left to be said but I believe is resolute determination of the Chinese Navy there will be more reasons and other reasons PLA will deploy where their ships deem necessary.

Would Libya happened, if the Russian and the Chinese Navy co-operated and make their present felt in the Meds? Would things be different, Russia alone cannot face alone Nato interference to their interest, case in point Libya (a little too late for the Chinese) & Syria but combine might of both where potential more Chinese ships and Russian ships join forces are present. Interesting no....

port_08 said:

Would Libya happened, if the Russian and the Chinese Navy co-operated and make their present felt in the Meds? Would things be different, Russia alone cannot face alone Nato interference to their interest, case in point Libya (a little too late for the Chinese) & Syria but combine might of both where potential more Chinese ships and Russian ships join forces are present. Interesting no....

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Russia and China can't do too much there. There's Spain, France, Italy, Turkey and Greece to lesser extent. Imagine all of those countries joining hands together and US could help there as well anytime. China can bring the flag there but probably won't be able to force any real politics using it.

Rutim said:

Russia and China can't do too much there. There's Spain, France, Italy, Turkey and Greece to lesser extent. Imagine all of those countries joining hands together and US could help there as well anytime. China can bring the flag there but probably won't be able to force any real politics using it.

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Frankly speaking if China and Russia really wanted to do something, veto the NFZ over Libya would be the best way. Just like what they did with Syria.

port_08 said:

I believe PLA will deploy to where there will be significant Chinese interest & maritime trade, to show a warship or two loitering. This is significant to deter potential adversary of decisions or actions that will be deem detrimental to China interest. That's what navy are for and that's one of their core objectives as well. This is true to any deep ocean navy in the world and been in practice for centuries.

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"The Yinhe incident (Chinese: 银河号事件) was a claim made in 1993 by the United States government alleging that the China-based regular container ship Yinhe (银河, "Milky Way") was carrying materials for chemical weapons to Iran. The United States Navy forced the Yinhe to stop in the international waters of the Indian Ocean for three weeks. The Chinese government subsequently agreed to have the ship searched in Saudi Arabia by a joint Saudi-U.S. team.."


Looking at the above incident, would such action have occurred if there are a PLA Navy 052Ds, 054As or twos loitering about the Indian Ocean in supposed "pretext" of countering piracy operation in gulf of Aden although it is a nobel main objective, but a second suppose "not publicized" mission objective is deterrence of possible coercive acts that will be taken on Chinese ships/interests such as above. Think about it....what if there's a suppose ships like a destroyer 052D commanded to rush to the scene, what possible of such international incidents? There are things not left to be said but I believe is resolute determination of the Chinese Navy there will be more reasons and other reasons PLA will deploy where their ships deem necessary.

Would Libya happened, if the Russian and the Chinese Navy co-operated and make their present felt in the Meds? Would things be different, Russia alone cannot face alone Nato interference to their interest, case in point Libya (a little too late for the Chinese) & Syria but combine might of both where potential more Chinese ships and Russian ships join forces are present. Interesting no....

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Although The Yinhe incident was frequently used to in the blogsphere to support throwing money at the navy, but having ships posted in the Indian ocean would not really made any difference, in fact it can make things worse by starting a stand off. The US military and intelligence acted the they have acted it's because it can do anything in the early 90s without fear of any negative consequences it may result. They are far more restraint now, not because a few ships here or there, but because of fundamental shift of balance of power from a unipolar world of the early 90s to a multi-polar world.

Bltizo said:

Interesting. Looks like they'll be seeking to maintain a small, possibly enduring presence in the Mediterranean for the foreseeable future.

With their permanent three ship presence off Africa, and the stationing of a frigate in the Mediterranean, I can see them as the collection point for a greater PLAN presence to grow upon in future. Maybe add one more ship, over the next few years, maybe two, a few years later maybe throw in a permanent LPD or LHA, then a few years after that maybe add in a destroyer and another AOR, maybe an SSN for long endurance exercise, and before you know it you'll have a permanently stationed SAG, CSG, or quasi ARG there within a decade.

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Well this is really the question

When we are talking about strategic naval locations we first need a thorough understanding of world naval affairs and what will likely happen in the future

The USN under the new Optimized Fleet response plan (OFRP) starting in 2015 will cut the number of US super carriers on station and ready for combat in half from the current 4-5 to around 2-3

Admiral Bill Gortney head of fleet forces command stated this on the Naval institute website last month

OFRP means home training less deployments in the end saving money because deployment cost lots of $$$, it come from budget cuts mandated by the Sequestration laws

It also cuts the number of deployed ships out of 283 to around 70 down from 81 today with 45 based in the Pacific

Just a lot of numbers you say big deal what's the bigger picture? Bigger picture is this, USN will likely drop a carrier strike group from the Mediterranean and this responsibility will fall to the Royal Navy with its own two super carriers cus let's be honest Americans are really doing a lot for UK in terms of pilots and carrier training it's not for nothing they need these two RN carriers to pick up the slack while USN does the "Pacific Pivot"

Two permanent stations for USN will be Western Pacific and Persian Gulf rest of the operations will whine down while they will still deploy two amphibious assault ships

Europe will have to look after itself and also keep a eye on Russia while US-Japan move into the Pacific region which really leaves the Indian Ocean to India and China

CCP has outlined that they will need a four axis approach to the Indian Ocean which means 3 overseas bases, one in the South (Seyschelles) one in the West (East Coast of Africa) one in the North (Gwader) China itself is the fourth position

Each naval bases will have a Flotilla of warships around DDF, FFG and replenishment tanker these bases will provide stops and rest, repairs, overhaul, replacement parts, logistics and everything else that a Chinese carrier strike group requires far away from home, the anti-piracy missions have given PLAN all the knowledge and experience there's even talk of getting 3D printers on Chinese warships to build spare parts when far away from home

China has in the place the stratedgy for Indian Ocean and along with it the entire needs to go with it

So going back to the question will China be permanently based in the Mediterranean answer is no, will they have a more routine presence defiantly yes because they are building the bridges to get closer

Right now China is racing against India to get into the Indian Ocean I believe they will win this race as a matter of fact I believe they have already won it India is too late in the game but will certainly make it's prescence felt, in addition to the 3 future carriers they have plans now for a LHD too

China isn't really that interested in the Mediterranean or even the Atlanic, they are more focused on Pacific and Indian Oceans