Photos: PLAN commissions guided missile destroyer Zhengzhou into East China Sea Fleet

The destroyer Zhengzhou is commissioned for the East China Sea fleet of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on Dec 26, 2013. The warship belongs to the new generation of Chinese-made guided missile destroyers. Equipped with Chinese-made “new weapons,” it has strong capacity for long-distance warning and surveillance and regional air defense. The ship, with hull number 151, is 155 meters long and 17 meters wide. It has a displacement of more than 6,000 tons. (Photo: China News Service / Xinhua)

The destroyer Zhengzhou is commissioned for the East China Sea fleet of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on Dec 26, 2013. The warship belongs to the new generation of Chinese-made guided missile destroyers. Equipped with Chinese-made “new weapons,” it has strong capacity for long-distance warning and surveillance and regional air defense. The ship, with hull number 151, is 155 meters long and 17 meters wide. It has a displacement of more than 6,000 tons. (Photo: China News Service / Xinhua)　

(Source: Xinhua/ Chinanews.com)

The destroyer Zhengzhou is commissioned for the East China Sea fleet of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy on Dec 26, 2013. The warship belongs to the new generation of Chinese-made guided missile destroyers. Equipped with Chinese-made “new weapons,” it has strong capacity for long-distance warning and surveillance and regional air defense. The ship, with hull number 151, is 155 meters long and 17 meters wide. It has a displacement of more than 6,000 tons.( Photo: China News Service / Dai Zongfeng)

Photo: China News Service / Dai Zongfeng

Photo: China News Service / Dai Zongfeng

Photo: China News Service / Dai Zongfeng

China PLAN anti-piracy convoy schedule for Gulf of Aden, November 2013

China PLAN anti-piracy convoy schedule for November, 2013:

GULF OF ADEN: Chinese Navy convoy schedule for October and November 2013. For further information, please e-mail cnmrcc@msa.gov.cn, cnmrcc@mot.gov.cn, or call Tel: 86-10-652-92221 Fax: 86-10-652-92245 (MSCHOA).

Source: US Navy, Office of Naval Intelligence

Chinese PLAN East Sea Fleet conducts live-fire exercise

Photo: news.cn/navy.81.cn

Photo: news.cn/navy.81.cn

Photo: news.cn/navy.81.cn

Photo: news.cn/navy.81.cn

Photo: news.cn/navy.81.cn

Chinese naval squadron passes through Strait of Magellan for first time

A Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy squadron has passed through the Strait of Magellan from the Pacific into the Atlantic. The force comprises the Type 052C destroyer ‘Lanzhou’, the Type 54A frigate ‘Liuzhou’ and the Fuqing-class replenishment oiler ‘Poyanghu’. The fleet political commissar”(队政委… now there’s a job description!) commented that this was {quote} “a very meaningful military practice” {unquote}. Which hits the nail on the head. China is no longer content to be a regional naval power and is increasing its global projection. The West ignores that at its peril.

高清：中国海军舰艇编队首次通过麦哲伦海峡

麦哲伦海峡东部出口海域宽阔，海峡两岸是一座雪山。图为兰州舰航行在麦哲伦海峡。严冬摄

14日下午3时（北京时间15日凌晨2时），由导弹驱逐舰兰州舰、导弹护卫舰柳州舰和综合补给舰鄱阳湖舰组成的舰艇编队顺利通过麦哲伦海峡，抵达海峡东部出口引水点。这是中国海军舰艇编队首次航经麦哲伦海峡。

记者在兰州舰看到，海峡东部出口海域宽阔，天气晴朗，平均浪高2米，风力3-4级，海面过往船只、油井平台较多。我舰艇编队组成单纵队劈波斩浪，一路向北航行。

编队13日从智利内水道转入麦哲伦海峡西部入口水域，顶着海面9-10级大风，在浪高达4-6米，摇摆达10度以上。陶宏祥摄

编队是昨日从智利内水道转入麦哲伦海峡西部入口水域，当地时间下午2时进入海峡。当时，海面风力9-10级，浪高4-6米，舰艇摇摆10度以上。进入海峡后，风浪减少了许多，但海面风力仍达到5-6级，平均浪高3米。

为了确保编队航行安全，全体官兵在指挥员、南海舰队副参谋长李晓岩少将的率领下，认真研究、精心准备、精确操作，严格落实狭水道航行、雾中航行、大风浪航行等部署，航渡过程没有出现任何差错，顺利通过海峡。

在麦哲伦海峡入口处，狂风卷起巨浪打过兰州舰。何得志摄

兰州舰舰长唐银川有着多年的航海经验，也曾多次在各种复杂海域航行过，提起此次航渡麦哲伦海峡的感受，他向记者介绍：“海峡航行里程、狭窄地段长，水道曲折，大角度转向多，西风和涌浪较大，流向多变，在这里航行，确实是一种挑战，但是我们经受住了考验，得到了锻炼，复杂陌生海域的舰艇操纵能力得到进一步加强。”

记者了解到，通过海峡后，编队领导亲自部署，要求各舰、各相关部门细心收集和整理相关资料，认真总结航渡经验。编队政委冯瑞声说：“此次我们海军舰艇编队首次通过麦哲伦海峡，显示了中国海军在走向深蓝的征程中更加从容和自信。这也是一次非常有意义的军事实践活动。”（记者陶宏祥 特约记者曾行践）

我舰艇编队组成单纵队劈波斩浪，一路向北航行。海峡两岸是一座座雪山。陶宏祥摄

新闻链接：

麦哲伦海峡位于南美洲大陆南端和火地岛、克拉伦斯岛、圣伊内斯岛之间，长约563km，宽3.3～32km，由地壳断裂下陷而成。1520年，葡萄牙航海家麦哲伦首先通过，因此取名麦哲伦海峡。海峡处于南纬50多度的西风带，两侧岩岸陡峭、高耸入云。海峡内寒冷多雾，并多大风暴，是世界上风浪最猛烈的水域之一，不利于航运发展，但在巴拿马运河开通前，是南大西洋和南太平洋间的重要航道。麦哲伦海峡，实行“过境通行”和强制引航制度。

China’s Shenyang J-15 painted in “sea gray” with PLANAF insignia

Courtesy of the Communist Party newspaper China Peoples Daily, a photograph of the production model of the Shenyang J-15 painted in “sea gray” with PLANAF insignia. The J-15 will be based on the PLAN aircraft carrier Liaoning.

尹卓:歼-15舰载机换海军涂装说明已服役 可进行量产

从央视新闻画面，我们可以看到歼-15战斗机量产型采用标准的海军灰蓝色涂装，座舱后部涂装有海军军旗。

人民网北京9月4日电 （记者 黄子娟）近日，很多眼尖的军迷发现，在央视新闻报道画面中，显示歼-15涂着海灰色涂装，座舱后侧下方还喷绘着一面解放军海军旗。坊间纷纷猜测，或许这正是已经下线的歼-15量产型。军事专家尹卓在接受央视采访时表示，歼15着海军涂装表明已经服役，其技术成熟可以进行量产。

歼-15(代号飞鲨；英文为J-15)为重型舰载战斗机，是沈飞在国产歼-11战斗机的基础上研发而成。

2009年8月，歼-15进行了首次试飞。去年11月5日，《解放军报》头版正式发布了中国航母舰载机触舰起飞的消息。去年11月25日，随着飞行员戴明盟驾驶编号为552的歼-15在“辽宁”号上成功着舰并起飞，“飞鲨”终于揭开神秘的面纱。

今年，“辽宁”号多次出海进行了科研试验和训练，并在渤海进行了歼-15的多批次起降飞行训练。据报道，不久还将进行危险的带弹滑跃起飞训练。

很多眼尖的军迷都发现，在央视新闻节目9月1日的报道中，有一个画面，显示歼-15涂着海灰色涂装，机头雷达整流罩则呈深灰色，座舱后侧下方还喷绘着一面解放军海军旗。坊间纷纷猜测，或许这正是已经下线的“飞鲨”量产型。进入量产阶段，飞机的设计图便已冻结，各项性能参数已经确定，是战斗机投入使用的重要标志。

谈到歼-15是否已经量产时，尹卓表示，目前尚没有任何官方消息证实，从分析的角度看，首先歼15着海军涂装，说明它已经正式服役。之前我们看到连续5架在辽宁舰着舰的飞机都是黄色，那代表是试验机，属于在研制的过程中，还没有定型。定型以后，交付到海军，一定是作战飞机，就改成海军涂装了。

尹卓说，从歼15已经服役分析，说明其技术已经成熟，表明可以进行量产，所以网友们的推测是符合逻辑的。

http://military.people.com.cn/n/2013/0904/c1011-22802086.html

China will build aircraft carriers, increase naval strength

China likely has 2 design concepts from Navantia, stemming from 1990s negotiations and exchange of payments with Empresa Nacional Bazan, which would allow for construction of carriers similar to the Spanish Príncipe de Asturias-class. Between 2007-09, China acquired 4 additional design plans from Russian yards which may augur a nuclear-powered carrier, similar to the US Nimitz or Ford classes, which would mirror current Russian Navy requirements.

China to have more aircraft carriers: ministry spokesman

BEIJING, Aug. 29 — The Liaoning is the Chinese military’s first aircraft carrier, but there will surely be more in future, a Ministry of National Defence spokesman said on Thursday.

China will comprehensively consider the development of aircraft carriers in accordance with the needs of national defense and military building, spokesman Yang Yujun said.

Yang made the comment at a news briefing when asked to confirm media reports that China is producing its first domestically made aircraft carrier.

Currently, China operates one aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which was refitted based on an unfinished Russian-made carrier and delivered to the Chinese Navy on Sept. 25, 2012.

The carrier’s original design allows it to carry about 30 fixed-wing aircraft.

The Liaoning has conducted successful take-off and landing tests of its carrier-borne J-15 fighters, the main strike force of China’s carrier group.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90786/8382896.html

PHOTEX: USS Mason, Chinese destroyer ‘Harbin’ conduct counter-piracy exercise

China, US conduct joint anti-piracy drill in Gulf of Aden

Chinese and U.S. soldiers participate in the counter-piracy exercise on the missile destroyer “Harbin” of Chinese navy in the Gulf of Aden, Aug. 25, 2013. The Chinese and U.S. navies conducted a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday and Sunday.(Xinhua/Rao Rao)

Chinese and U.S. soldiers communicate with each other during the counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden, Aug. 25, 2013. The Chinese and U.S. navies conducted a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday and Sunday.(Xinhua/Rao Rao)

Chinese and U.S. soldiers participate in the counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden, Aug. 25, 2013. The Chinese and U.S. navies conducted a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday and Sunday.(Xinhua/Rao Rao)

A soldier participates in the counter-piracy exercise on the missile destroyer “Harbin” of Chinese navy in the Gulf of Aden, Aug. 25, 2013. The Chinese and U.S. navies conducted a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday and Sunday.(Xinhua/Rao Rao)

Photo taken on Aug. 25, 2013 shows the warships participating in a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden. The Chinese and U.S. navies conducted a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday and Sunday. (Xinhua/Rao Rao)

A helicopter of the U.S. navy lands on the missile destroyer “Harbin” of Chinese navy during the counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden, Aug. 25, 2013. The Chinese and U.S. navies conducted a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday and Sunday.(Xinhua/Rao Rao)

The missile destroyer “Harbin” of Chinese navy participates in the counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden, Aug. 25, 2013. The Chinese and U.S. navies conducted a joint counter-piracy exercise in the Gulf of Aden on Saturday and Sunday.(Xinhua/Rao Rao)