The People's Republic of China's Navy, correctly referred to as the PLAN (People's Liberation Army Navy) has altered its inward-looking perspective and is growing strongly in parallel with China's transition to a global superpower.
This growth is not necessarily a preparation to being an aggressor, but as an obvious 'gearing up' to defending its expanding trade routes, raw material imports and export pipeline.
It is now an active participator in the Combined Naval Task Force, deterring piracy off the Somali coastline.
Size The US Navy is the world's largest with over 328,000 personnel, but China ranks second at about 2/3 that size, like for like.
By tonnage, the US fleet comes in at about three million tons, whilst that of China is just about three hundred and fifty thousand tons with a much lower average tonnage per vessel.
As a percentage of the world's fighting tonnage, China's measures at about three percent.
The Indian Navy is also expanding rapidly with almost 2% of tonnage.
Effectiveness Can they deliver? This is tricky to evaluate - it includes Equipment and crew quality, training, fleet exercise intensity, command/control systems and structures (and this includes a political aspect also), average age (equipment), equipment maintenance effectiveness, logistics systems, new technology development rates, and a host of other factors.
"Much room for improvement" is how most observers would mark the PLAN.
Does the PLAN have and edge and where are they weak? The main points are: A unified commitment to growth is arguably the most important, as the senior command is focused on growing fleet and effectiveness aggressively, with the support of the government.
Arguably, India is the only other country where the naval command and politicians are aligned so effectively.
The naval budget also is crucial, and China appears to be growing its naval budget rapidly.
Budget isn't the full answer, as the country has to expand its military/industrial complex (naval) to deliver.
You can buy an automobile plant, but not advanced naval construction capability off the shelf.
This is most apparent in the case of aircraft carriers, where they are building their construction capability - they purchased the incomplete Varyag carrier from the Ukraine and have been tinkering with it for years.
They now have two conventional and two nuclear powered carriers in their plans, but it's likely to take at least another fifteen years before they are operational.
Defence electronics is another prime example, but given China's aerial electronics momentum, then 'technology drag' should not be a hindrance to progress.
Using unique munitions, the effectiveness of a navy relative to other navies can be improved.
China has weapons such as the Dong Feng 21D anti-carrier missile and the EM52 rocket propelled mine.
It can be argued that the PLAN is hampered by a command structure which has both executive and political chains of command.
These forms of organisation have been tested in various wars - for example by the former Soviet Union.
Some commentators would argue that lower effectiveness is compensated for with greater numbers of personnel.
Disposition The PLAN is organised into three fleets: the North Sea Fleet (HQ Quindao) with six major bases, the East Sea Fleet (HQ Ningbo) with five major bases, and the South Sea Fleet (Zhanjiang) with five major bases..
There are as many minor bases as major bases.
This growth is not necessarily a preparation to being an aggressor, but as an obvious 'gearing up' to defending its expanding trade routes, raw material imports and export pipeline.
It is now an active participator in the Combined Naval Task Force, deterring piracy off the Somali coastline.
Size The US Navy is the world's largest with over 328,000 personnel, but China ranks second at about 2/3 that size, like for like.
By tonnage, the US fleet comes in at about three million tons, whilst that of China is just about three hundred and fifty thousand tons with a much lower average tonnage per vessel.
As a percentage of the world's fighting tonnage, China's measures at about three percent.
The Indian Navy is also expanding rapidly with almost 2% of tonnage.
Effectiveness Can they deliver? This is tricky to evaluate - it includes Equipment and crew quality, training, fleet exercise intensity, command/control systems and structures (and this includes a political aspect also), average age (equipment), equipment maintenance effectiveness, logistics systems, new technology development rates, and a host of other factors.
"Much room for improvement" is how most observers would mark the PLAN.
Does the PLAN have and edge and where are they weak? The main points are: A unified commitment to growth is arguably the most important, as the senior command is focused on growing fleet and effectiveness aggressively, with the support of the government.
Arguably, India is the only other country where the naval command and politicians are aligned so effectively.
The naval budget also is crucial, and China appears to be growing its naval budget rapidly.
Budget isn't the full answer, as the country has to expand its military/industrial complex (naval) to deliver.
You can buy an automobile plant, but not advanced naval construction capability off the shelf.
This is most apparent in the case of aircraft carriers, where they are building their construction capability - they purchased the incomplete Varyag carrier from the Ukraine and have been tinkering with it for years.
They now have two conventional and two nuclear powered carriers in their plans, but it's likely to take at least another fifteen years before they are operational.
Defence electronics is another prime example, but given China's aerial electronics momentum, then 'technology drag' should not be a hindrance to progress.
Using unique munitions, the effectiveness of a navy relative to other navies can be improved.
China has weapons such as the Dong Feng 21D anti-carrier missile and the EM52 rocket propelled mine.
It can be argued that the PLAN is hampered by a command structure which has both executive and political chains of command.
These forms of organisation have been tested in various wars - for example by the former Soviet Union.
Some commentators would argue that lower effectiveness is compensated for with greater numbers of personnel.
Disposition The PLAN is organised into three fleets: the North Sea Fleet (HQ Quindao) with six major bases, the East Sea Fleet (HQ Ningbo) with five major bases, and the South Sea Fleet (Zhanjiang) with five major bases..
There are as many minor bases as major bases.
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