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Rapid Accretions
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PLAN accelerating its induction of Type 926 Dalao-class submarine |
Type 041 Improved Yuan SSK
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Prasun K. Sengupta
For the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Navy (PLAN), 2011 will end on a high
note, given the increasing amount of shipbuilding capacity that continues to be
added by Beijing’s two premier state-owned shipyards--Shanghai
Jiangnan-Changxing Shipbuilding Company Ltd, a subsidiary of the Shanghai
Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Company Ltd, located on Changxing Island in the mouth of
the Yangtze River to the north of urban Shanghai; and Hudong-Zhonghua
Shipbuilding (Group) Co Ltd, a subsidiary of the Shanghai-based China State
Shipbuilding Group Corp (CSSC). The PLAN’s third, fourth and fifth Type 052C
Luyang-class guided-missile destroyers (DDG) are the first warships to be
launched from Jiangnan-Changxing.
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The third such DDG began her sea trials on October 10.At the
same time, the first Type 041 Improved Yuan-class diesel-electric submarine
(SSK) was launched late last month from the same shipyard, leaving the Wuhan
Shipyard, which until now had produced the first five Yuan-class SSKs, to
henceforth focus on building the Qing-class SSKs (six of which are on order for
the Pakistan Navy) that are powered by fuel cell-based air independent
propulsion systems and can also be armed with CJ-10K land-attack cruise
missiles.
Hudong-Zhonghua, meanwhile, has launched its sixth Type 054A Jinkai-class guided-missile frigate (FFG) along with the PLAN’s third and fourth Type 071 Yuzhou-class landing platform dock (LPD). Guangzhou-based Huangpu Shipyard is building another seven Type 054A FFGs, with the average production rate per such vessel being 14 months. The third LPD, launched on September 25, is now being outfitted at Hudong-Zhonghua’s wet basin. Named Jinggangshan and sporting the pennant number 999, this LPD is 210 metres long, 28 metres wide, and a draught of seven metres and 23 feet. It was launched on December 12 last year, but had to spend the better part of this year in the wet basin. Its predecessor, the Kunlunshan (998) was launched on 22 December 2006 and commissioned into the PLAN’s South Sea Fleet on 30 November 2007. The Jinggangshan will be commissioned into the 14th Landing Ship Squadron of the PLAN’s East Sea Fleet. Each Type 071 LPD can carry up to four Z-8K heavylift utility helicopters, as well as four Type 726 Yuyi-class air-cushion vehicles. The Yuyi-class vessel is powered by four gas-turbines to augment its lift capability to about 70 tonnes, enough for ferrying a main battle tank. |
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