China's maritime ambitions: Unveiling the world's largest ship

First and foremost, it is the largest amphibious ship in the world: reportedly 827 feet long and 148 feet wide overall, with a displacement, depending on the source, reaching up to 55,000 tons. The ship features two islands, which is a fairly modern arrangement. One island likely serves as the center for air operations, while the other may be used to manage the ship itself.

Regarding the air group, the ship is notable. China does not have vertical takeoff and landing jet aircraft (like the Harrier, Yak-36 and 38, or F-35B). To accommodate combat jet aircraft (supposedly up to 40 planes, helicopters, and large drones combined), it is equipped with a modern electromagnetic catapult, which is longer than the one on the Fujian aircraft carrier.

It can transport about 1,000 soldiers ashore using two air-cushion landing craft Type 726A carried in the dock well or via helicopter. The ship also focuses on an innovative – partially electric – propulsion system, modern radio-electronic equipment (similar to Type 054B frigates), and relatively strong armament. This ship is not the only symbol of China's growing maritime power.

The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), like any military formation, is a tool of state policy. Beijing's main ambition is to replace the United States as a global hegemon to gain enormous benefits from such a unique position. The USA is primarily a maritime power, so to challenge its dominance, China needs a large fleet.

In the short term, the goal is to occupy the "rebellious province" of Taiwan, as Beijing considers it (and vice versa). The PLAN is organized into three fleets: North Sea (main base in Qingdao), East Sea (Ningbo), and South Sea (Zhanjiang). It has extensive forces, including surface, submarine, aerial, marines, and coastal defense units. Currently, the Chinese fleet is already larger than the US Navy, with about 400 combat, transport, and auxiliary ships. Besides conducting typical missions or exercises, these forces also engage in aggressive and provocative actions against countries with which China has territorial disputes (such as the Philippines).

With Beijing's growing wealth and ambitions, larger and more modern ships are being built. In the past, smaller coastal defense ships comprised most of the forces, following the "mosquito fleet" concept. Even today, the PLAN maintains dozens of small ships, including more than 80 relatively modern Type 22 missile boats.

At the opposite end of the spectrum are true "royal-class" ships, like aircraft carriers. The Chinese fleet currently has three such units. The Liaoning functions more as a training-experimental ship, while the Fujian almost matches the size of American supercarriers, and the under-construction Type 004 is expected to equal them. Both are equipped with modern electromagnetic catapults instead of ski-jumps for takeoff assistance.

The core of the strike groups comes from the Soviet Su-27, the Shenyang J-11B, and J-15, although the same manufacturer has developed the 5th generation naval fighter J-35, derived from the export FC-31. Amphibious ships are not far behind in size. Large Type 075 units, predecessors of the newest Type 076, are 761 feet long with a displacement of up to 44,000 tons, and feature a helicopter deck. The more classical yet modern Type 071 ships (689 feet and 28,000 tons) are smaller and lack a continuously flat aircraft deck. They are supplemented by smaller and older ships, totaling several dozen.

Similarly to the US Navy, destroyers dominate among surface escort and strike ships. These include a few units of Russian origin (Project 956E/EM, four units). The most popular type is the not very large but numerous Type 052D (about 30 in service, with at least 40 units planned), with a length of 512 feet and a displacement of 8,270 tons. These are heavily armed ships, with 64 vertical launch cells and a 24-cell close-in weapon system. They are also equipped with a helicopter.

Additionally, there are 10 older units of earlier Type 52 variants and several Type 051B/C ships. The newest are large destroyers (or more accurately, cruisers) of Type 055, which are about 590 feet long and have a displacement of up to 14,330 tons. They are significantly better armed than Type 052D units, with 112 vertical launch cells and two helicopters, and seem to be quite successful escort units.

Besides these, numerous frigates are in service. The most numerous type is 054A (about 35 in service, with at least around 40 planned), alongside a dozen older and smaller units. The newest 054B frigates (two units, with more planned) are relatively large, with a length of 482 feet and a displacement of 6,614 tons, armed with 32 vertical launch cells and a close-in defense missile launcher, similar in capability to the future Wichr ships.

The Type 056 and 056A corvettes, with a displacement of about 1,650 tons, are extremely numerous. They serve rather auxiliary roles, as evidenced by the transfer of 22 older 056 units to the coast guard. The fleet retained "only" 50 newer units.

The core of the sub-surface component consists of large nuclear-powered submarines carrying ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. This includes seven submarines of Type 092, Type 094, and plans for two more of Type 094, with six to eight more modern 096s. Additionally, nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarines are in service, including three older Type 091, six Type 093 plus two under construction, and the Type 095 is under development. There are also smaller conventional units, which are very numerous, with over 30 submarines of Types 093 and 093A. Uncertainty remains regarding the new Type 041 submarine with an unknown power source – this sizable vessel reportedly sank at the turn of May and June 2024.

According to available information, these aircraft are prototype (rather demonstrator) machines of two completely different 6th-generation models. This suggests that China is catching up with the USA, which test-flew its own 6th-generation aircraft a few years ago. Presumably, the excessive clustering of technological novelties was meant to signal to the world that China is no longer just catching up with the West but is trying to surpass it. China aims to achieve an advantage that is secure enough to intimidate potential competition and lower the costs of achieving political goals, such as the potential takeover of Taiwan.

It cannot be denied that Communist China, despite many mistakes, has built a strong position as a global player, with considerable economic and political standing. Therefore, competition in the military field is no surprise, although for now, it does not pose an open challenge to its main competitor – the USA and its allies.

China is investing massive resources in technological development alongside the quantitative expansion of its forces. However, assessing the real effects is challenging. Indeed, the Chinese shipbuilding industry is very efficient – perhaps even more so than the American – but do China's numerous ships really compare to the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (and their successors) or their Asian counterparts? Are China's futuristic aircraft finally equipped with modern engines (since China was lagging behind Russia in this regard), modern radars, and electronics? Colloquially speaking, photographs do not reveal the computational power of Chinese onboard computers.

Moreover, China's situation is challenging despite some analysts’ beliefs. Taiwan is located close to China's coast, but to advance "further," into American-influenced areas, China must contend not only with the US Navy but also with the forces of Japan, Australia, the Philippines, European allies, and possibly Vietnam or South Korea. Additionally, the chain of islands surrounding China acts as a formidable chain of missile bases, including anti-aircraft, anti-ship, or cruise missiles. China's entry into the Ocean would certainly not be painless, and a long road lies ahead for Beijing. At a time when China is facing a demographic crisis, does it still have time to achieve these goals?