Chinese naval developments in 2024 have proceeded with some nuance compared to earlier years. The first half of this two part-review on Naval News will provide an overview over the primary PLAN building programmes. This report focuses on relevant events in 2024 for aircraft carriers, amphibious carriers, destroyers and frigates for the Chinese Navy.
Changes in launch pacing come down to three major aspects. The first is how new shipbuilding programs have succeeded previous batch construction efforts. The temporary pause of Type 055 DDG construction, the new Type 054B frigate and the also new Type 076 amphibious carrier are points in case.
Secondly, the past year has seen substantial production of naval combatant-derived hulls for the Chinese Coast Guard. This mostly concerns Type 054A-FFG derived hulls produced at Hudong in Shanghai and Huangpu in Guangzhou.
Thirdly, Hudong and Dalian have made some changes to how the yards produce warships. Hudong relocated production from their legacy facilities on the Huangpu River to Changxing Island. Dalian meanwhile is not presently producing combatants at their previously utilised primary drydock, using it for civilian contracts. The builder relocated naval assembly from the Port of Dalian to Dagushan across the bay.
Aircraft Carrier Programs
China at present pursues three stages of aircraft carrier-development. CV-16 Liaoning and CV-17 Shandong, also known as “Type 001” and “Type 002” represent the mature capability growing and developing the Chinese carrier force.
CV-16 Liaoning in April had completed her comprehensive overhaul at Dalian. As part of this work the carrier has received modifications such as optimization of the ordnance and equipment-elevators. Furthermore a mockup of the next gen J-35 onboard suggests both Liaoning and Shandong will support this important new capability.
Modernisation and exercises for STOBAR carriers
Liaoning completed modernisation in April, followed by sea trials. Shandong continued with several cruises to qualify personnel. Both carriers remain primarily a training asset, as PLAN continues to scale up carrier aviation resources. Shandong engaged in a short sail in April in the South China Sea, followed by a more comprehensive deployment in July. The second cruise included training with a Type 075 amphibious assault carrier and escorts in the South China Sea. Shandong then proceeded to the Philippine Sea. The region has become a routine training area for Chinese carriers with strategic relevance over proximity to Taiwan and SCS-approaches.
The refitted CV-16 Liaoning in September transited south through the Taiwan Strait and conducted two rounds of exercises also in the Philippine Sea. The second leg had Liaoning participating in the “Joint Sword 2024b”-joint service exercises around Taiwan, also involving the PLAAF and Chinese Coast Guard.
In between Liaoning’s cruises both carriers conducted a high profile “photo op” together in the South China Sea in October. This event also for the first time displayed a substantial number of J-15T catapult launch-capable fighter jets flying from both ships. Such a milestone has obvious bearing for PLAN-efforts focusing on the third carrier, CV-18 Fujian.
Fujian starts sea trials, while “Type 004” emerges
Fujian, aka “Type 003” accomplished her first sea trial in May 2024, representing the second stage of carrier capability. The catapult-equipped supercarrier proceeded with five more sea trials, with the last cruise commencing only a few days before the end of 2024. The most recent trial is ongoing as of this writing, and may include aircraft-launches and -recovery.
Finally, Western media in November, citing American analysts, reported that Chinese development of the next generation “Type 004” carrier appears to be well underway. The Type 004 will likely include nuclear propulsion and represents the third, future leg of PLAN carrier-development. Related preparations include a land-based reactor installation for testing near the city of Leshan in Sichuan Province. Echoing this development the landbased carrier mockup at Wuhan is undergoing significant rebuilding since at least November 2024.
Both events suggest advanced preparations in finalising the new carrier design. The next step would be long lead orders for equipment and finally module assembly at a relevant yard, such as Dalian or Jiangnan. It remains uncertain at this stage whether this development implies transition from “Type 003” to “Type 004”. Alternatively, construction of one further Fujian-type carrier may commence, while the Type 004-design matures.
Amphibious Carrier Program
The development of PLAN amphibious carrier-capability remained a key feature in 2024. The fourth Type 075 LHD spent most of 2024 with fitting out-work after a launch in December 2023. The yet to be named carrier appears to have conducted a first sea trial in August, followed by a brief return to the original Hudong drydock on the Huangpu River for further work at the beginning of October. The ship returned to Hudong’s fitting out-basin on Changxing Island in late October, where the carrier has remained so far.
More momentous for the amphibious force was the rapid assembly of the much larger Type 076 catapult-equipped LHD, culminating in her christening and launch at the end of December. The ship, named “Sichuan” and assigned hull number 51, is now berthed in the same basin at Hudong, Changxing Island, as the fourth Type 075, for further fitting out that will likely take up most or all of 2025.
Destroyers And Frigates
The carrier-programs dominated Chinese naval developments in 2024. Production for the escort fleet assumed a less conspicuous posture. Generally speaking 2024 featured fewer launches of PLAN combatants compared to preceding years. Nevertheless multiple events and developments are of note in this regard.
Two Type 055, classified as cruisers by the US DoD, of the second production batch launched at builders Dalian and Jiangnan in January and May. At least two more hulls are under construction at both yards.
Steady production for PLAN at all four major yards
Dalian and Jiagnan also continue to produce Type 052D-destroyers. Dalian had launched two hulls in January and May 2024, with production since then having moved to its Dagushan-yard across the bay. Production at Jiangnan is harder to verify. One hull of this latest batch, likely a Jiangnan-unit produced earlier, is operational with PLAN. Jiangnan has launched at least one more 052D in 2024.
Both hulls of the Type 054B next generation frigate design started and completed their builder trials in 2024. The two ships have also received hull numbers, 545 and 555 respectively, in November and December, suggesting commissioning is imminent.
Interestingly, while no further Type 054B appear to be under construction at this point, builders Hudong and Huangpu continue to produce and launch a further modifed Type 054A, referred to as Type 054AG. The new variant features an extended flight deck, likely for Z-20 support, and the same new main gun as seen on Type 054B. Both yards combined have launched at least three 054AG in 2024.
Slower naval production augmented by Coast Guard-orders
Huangpu and Hudong continue to launch Type 054A-variants adapted for the Chinese Coast Guard. In a similar vein destroyer-builder Jiangnan has produced one hull for the CCG based on the 052D-design. This particular hull had launched by October and started undergoing sea trials in December. Only Dalian appears to remain absent from producing CCG-hulls. This aspect of Chinese naval developments in 2024 illustrates that despite an apparent slowdown in naval construction all builders remain reasonably busy producing further frigate- and destroyer-size equivalent hulls. The development also tracks expanded activities by the CCG.
Additionally Hudong has demonstrated that despite relocation of their primary production facilities from the Huangpu River to Changxing Island the yard has hardly slowed construction, launching three frigate-sized hulls and one large flattop from the new drydock last year. Dalian, while not utilising their large drydock for new escort-production in 2024, still launched one new Type 055 from the smaller facilities at Dagushan and has laid down one more Type 055 in addition to one Type 052D DDG.
The second part of this review is going to look at PLAN submarines, auxiliaries and what may be termed “irregular” efforts of the Chinese naval shipbuilding industry.
