China is sending its largest surface combatant, the amphibious landing ship Kunlun Shan, to the Gulf of Aden to serve as a command ship for a PLA Navy anti-piracy task force, according to China Defense Blog. This marks the first deployment of the 071 LPD, launched in 2006, the largest naval ship of its own design China has built to date with an estimated displacement of around 20,000 tons.
China is scheduled to command the multinational task force operating off the coast of piracy haven Somalia. Accompanying the Kunlun Shan is the destroyer Lanzhou and the supply ship Weishanhu. Available specs on the Kunlun Shan say it has a lift capacity equivalent to the U.S. Navy Austin class LPD; it has a large helicopter flight deck and a floodable bay that could fit up to 4 air cushion landing crafts (LCAC).
There was lots of discussion about the challenges China’s PLA Navy faces in operating at long distances at a National Defense University conference on Chinese naval modernization I attended earlier this month. These range from difficulties in maintaining and repairing ships to providing medical care and fresh produce to personnel.
A shortage of underway replenishment ships and the obvious lack of overseas bases places an upper limit on the number of ships China can deploy and how long they can remain on station in distant waters.
The PLA Navy has been increasing their “out of area” naval operations incrementally in recent years. They are very methodical about it, using a small number of their most modern ships. These deployments have a noticeable political “soft power” component to them. Expect more of that soft power naval diplomacy when China soon deploys its purpose built hospital ship.
Check out this really cool cutaway diagram of the Kunlun Shan provided by Hobby Shanghai.
– Greg Grant
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
It looks like the Chinese are commited to world security and peace. If this is true then there is nothing to wory about. Just don't coss thier sea nautical mile territory.
I don't care about this. CHina is just protecting it's interests in the Gulf. as long as it doesn't interfere with ours I'm cool with it. I just wish we never got involved with Red China. DAMN YOU NIXON!
funny thing is it's hard for USA to not interfere with others
The only reason anyone is there is because they're protecting their interests.
But where would we get our T-shirts and Happy Meal toys?
Face it, China and the US are economically inseparable. The US is addicted to China's cheap exports and China is addicted to the US's rabid consumers.
At least half of the sensors on the US vessels in the region better be trained on that thing 24/7.
Good to see China doing something productive for world security for once.
I bet Hobby Shanghai reverse engineered it from a russian built rubber ducky.
"… lack of overseas bases"
Don't be surprised if Burma is involved in future.
And Bangladesh. The Chinese have been offering to convert Chittagong port into a deep-sea installation. India is less than thrilled.
I wander how good the comm system on the Chinese ships are. As good as the Mistrals?