The number of Chinese Navy ships increased by 10% in 2022

With 340 ships, the Chinese Navy of the People's Liberation Army was already, in 2021, the largest military fleet on the planet, in number of ships, if not in tonnage which remains the unique prerogative of the US Navy. Despite this already substantial format, Beijing has in no way slowed down its extraordinary effort begun around twenty years ago to strengthen its Navy.

According to the annual report on Chinese military power, which has just been published by the American Department of Defense, the Chinese fleet, in 2022, had reached a size of 370 ships, a net increase in its size of 30 buildings and almost 10%, vis-à-vis of the 340 ships in service in 2021.

A National Navy every 2 years for the People's Liberation Army

Taking into account the withdrawal and replacement of old naval units, such as the first Project 877 Kilo submarines withdrawn from service, or the transfer of certain units such as the 22 Type 056A corvettes destined for the Chinese Coast Guard, or the vessels transferred from Opportunity to certain allied navies, it appears that the Chinese Navy has admitted into service between 45 and 50 new ships in 2022, moreover often much more imposing and advanced than the naval units which they can replace.

If, in 2021, Admiral Vandier, then Chief of Staff of the French Navy, was alarmed by the production capacities of the Chinese military naval industry, which could produce the equivalent of the French fleet in three years, These latest data show that it takes more than two years for Chinese shipyards to launch a National Navy or an Italian Marina Militare.

Thus, in 2022 alone, the naval forces of the People's Liberation Army admitted into service no less than 3 Type 055 cruisers weighing more than 11 tons armed with 000 vertical silos, as well as 112 Type 3D MOD anti-aircraft destroyers, of more than 052 tons, armed with 7 silos each, but also a Type 000 helicopter carrier of 64 tons, and 075 Type 40.000B submarines of the Yuan class.

The logistics fleet is also growing rapidly, with the arrival of new supply tankers, hospital ships, submarine support or oceanographic exploration and mapping vessels, as well as several intelligence and electronic eavesdropping vessels. .

435 ships in 2035 for the Chinese Navy

The dynamics observed in 2022, will not weaken in the years to come, according to the American report. Thus, in 2025, the Chinese Navy should reach a size of 395 ships, and 435 buildings by 2030.

Thus, no less than 6 Type 052D MOD destroyers were observed launched in 2022, and should enter service in 2023. the new Type 054B frigates construction of which began in 2022, after the last of the first 30 Type 054A frigates of the first batch was delivered in 2019.

The same is true in the field of submarines, with 3 Type 039B Yuan class submarines delivered in 2021, and as many ships supposedly launched the following year.

In addition, the Chinese Navy today operates 6 Type 094 nuclear ballistic missile submarines, as well as 6 nuclear attack submarines, 3 Type 093 Shang class, and as many Type 093A Shang-II. The first two nuclear cruise missile submarines, Type 093B Shang-III, were launched between May 2022 and January 2023. By 2025, China's submarine fleet will reach 65 ships, including 15 nuclear-powered, and 80 submarines in 2035.

Finally, the new Type 003 aircraft carrier Fujian, launched in June 2022, should begin its sea trials by the last weeks of 2023, while the construction of a fourth Type 075 helicopter carrier was observed, with the launch expected to take place at the end of the first half of 2024.

Chinese ships as well armed and equipped as in the West, according to the DoD

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