Chinese navy commissions trio of apex predators
Three new vessels at Sanya Naval Base are commissioned into the PLAN. (CCTV)
The Chinese naval fleet grows by at least 60,000t in a single day as three new ships enter service.
Coinciding with the 72nd anniversary of its founding, on 23 April the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) commissioned three warships emblematic of its naval ambitions – a Type 075 LHD, a Type 055 guided-missile cruiser and a Type 094 SSBN.
Commissioning three capital vessels in one go is unprecedented, and their total tonnage comes to at least 60,000t. Such a figure eclipses the naval fleets of several regional countries such as the Philippines.
Chairman Xi Jinping attended the commissioning ceremony at Sanya Naval Base on Hainan Island, with all three entering the navy’s South Sea Fleet.
Alarmingly, a headline in
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US continues to review AUKUS submarine deal as HII ticks off new Virginia-class sea trials]()
US continues to review AUKUS submarine deal as HII ticks off new Virginia-class sea trials
The initial sea trials for Virginia-class SSN 798 conducted by Newport News Shipbuilding division and the US Navy marked an “important step”, but the ongoing AUKUS review casts a shadow over what the progress means for the partner nations.
-
![US Navy seeks AI software suppliers to bolster air and missile defence]()
US Navy seeks AI software suppliers to bolster air and missile defence
The US Navy is conducting market research to find AI software products for the Collaborative Integrated Air and Missile Defence Planning Programme.
-
![Turkey’s Goksur naval missile completes first live-fire intercept]()
Turkey’s Goksur naval missile completes first live-fire intercept
The Goksur will be available in a range of configurations and could be integrated into Turkey’s nascent Steel Dome which is designed to provide multi-layered protection against a range of aerial targets from mortars to aircraft.
-
![US Coast Guard advances plans to acquire small response boats]()
US Coast Guard advances plans to acquire small response boats
The maritime security service is looking to purchase up to four demonstrators as it seeks to ensure the force’s goals are achievable before continuing its acquisition programme.
-
![US Navy confirms Q2 FY2026 contract award for Tomahawk Block V modernisation]()
US Navy confirms Q2 FY2026 contract award for Tomahawk Block V modernisation
The agreement with Raytheon will comprise the acquisition and delivery of maritime seeker suite technologies and processing capabilities for 35 to 96 missiles.
