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Liaoning (16)

The aircraft carrier Liaoning in Hong Kong in 2017
Class overview
Builders	Dalian Shipbuilding Industry
Operators	People's Liberation Army Navy
Preceded by	Kiev class
Succeeded by	Type 002 Shandong
Completed	1
History
→ Soviet Union → Ukraine
Name	Riga (1988) then Varyag (1990)
Namesake	City of Riga, Latvia (1988) then Varyag, named for the Varangians (1990), the name Varyag was then adopted by another cruiser.
Ordered	1983
Builder	Mykolaiv South Nevskoye Planning and Design Bureau
Laid down	6 December 1985
Launched	4 December 1988
Completed	Abandoned (68% complete)
Fate	Sold to a Chinese buyer, 1998 Transferred to the Chinese navy, 2002
China
Name	Liaoning (Chinese: 辽宁舰)
Namesake	Liaoning Province
Builder	Dalian Shipbuilding Industry
Cost	US$ 120 Million (Former Ukraine)
Completed	2011
Commissioned	25 September 2012
Motto	(Simplified Chinese:保卫祖国，勇争第一)：Defend the motherland, strive to be the first.
Status	In active service
Badge
General characteristics for Varyag as originally designed
Class and type	Type 001, Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier
Type	STOBAR aircraft carrier
Displacement	43,000 tons, light 54,500 tons, normal 60,900 tons, full load
Length	306.4 m (1,005 ft 3 in) o/a 270 m (885 ft 10 in) w/l
Beam	74.4 m (244 ft 1 in) o/a 35 m (114 ft 10 in) w/l
Installed power	Steam
Propulsion	Steam TV12 turbines, 8 KVG-4 boilers, 4 shafts, 200,000 hp (150 MW) 4 × 50,000 hp (37 MW) turbines 9 × 2,011 hp (1,500 kW) turbogenerators 6 × 2,011 hp (1,500 kW) diesel generators 4 × fixed pitch propellers
Speed	32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range	3,850 nmi (7,130 km; 4,430 mi) at 32 knots
Endurance	45 days
Complement	1,960 crew 626 air group 40 flag staff
Sensors and processing systems	Type 346 radar S-band AESA Type 382 Radar 3-D search
General characteristics for Liaoning after refit
Class and type	Type 001 aircraft carrier
Armament	3 × Type 1130 CIWS 3 × HQ-10 (18-cell missile system)
Aircraft carried	24 Shenyang J-15 6 Changhe Z-18F 6 Changhe Z-18J 2 Harbin Z-9 Total of 40 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft.

Liaoning (16; Chinese: 辽宁舰; pinyin: Liáoníng Jiàn) is a Chinese Type 001 aircraft carrier. The first aircraft carrier commissioned into the People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force, she was originally classified as a training ship, intended to allow the Navy to experiment, train and gain familiarity with aircraft carrier operations. Following upgrades and additional training in late 2018, Chinese state media announced that the ship would shift to a combat role in 2019.

Originally laid down in 1985 for the Soviet Navy as the Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier Riga, she was launched on 4 December 1988 and renamed Varyag in 1990. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, construction was halted and the ship was put up for sale by Ukraine. The stripped hulk was purchased in 1998 and after much delay, towed to the Dalian naval shipyard in northeast China, arriving in 2002.

The ship was rebuilt and commissioned into the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as Liaoning on 25 September 2012. Its Chinese ship class designation is Type 001. In November 2016, the political commissar of Liaoning, Commodore Li Dongyou, stated that Liaoning was combat-ready.

Classification

The Kuznetsov-class ships were originally designated by the Soviet Navy as "тяжёлый авианесущий крейсер" (tyazholiy avianesushchiy kreyser, TAKR or TAVKR), meaning "heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser". In addition to aircraft, the ships were designed to carry P-700 Granit anti-ship cruise missiles that also form the main armament of the Kirov-class battlecruisers. This multirole capability allowed the ships to avoid classification as aircraft carriers, thus allowing them to pass through the Turkish Straits between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. Under the Montreux Convention, aircraft carriers larger than 15,000 tons are not permitted to pass through the Straits, but there is no displacement limit on other types of capital ships from Black Sea powers.

In contrast, the People's Liberation Army Navy considers Liaoning to be an aircraft carrier. Since China is not located on the Black Sea and thus not considered a Black Sea power under the Montreux Convention, it does not need and cannot use the tonnage exemption for non-aircraft carrier capital ships. The ship was completed as an aircraft carrier, and cruise missiles were never installed. Liaoning is equipped only with air defense weapons and must use its aircraft for a surface attack.

History

Origin

The ship was laid down as Riga at Shipyard 444 (now Mykolaiv South) in Mykolaiv, Ukrainian SSR, on 6 December 1985. Design work was undertaken by the Nevskoye Planning and Design Bureau. Launched on 4 December 1988, the carrier was renamed Varyag in late 1990, after a previous similarly named cruiser launched in 1989. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, the ship was only 68% complete. Construction was halted, and the ship was put up for sale. The name Varyag was then adopted by another cruiser launched in 1983.

Sale

Ukraine approached China, India, and Russia as potential buyers. China sent a high-level delegation in 1992, which reported that the ship was in good condition and recommended a purchase. However, the Chinese government declined to purchase the ship because of the international diplomatic situation at the time. Unable to find a buyer, Ukraine left the ship to deteriorate in the elements.

In 1998, the rusting hulk was sold at auction for $20 million to Agencia Turistica E Diversões Chong Lot Limitada, a company from Macau. Chong Lot proposed to tow Varyag to Macau under pretenses of conversion into a $200 million floating hotel and casino; Western observers were suspicious of the deal since Chong Lot had no listed telephone number, was not located at its listed address, and was run by former officers in the Chinese Navy. Officials in Macau also denied Chong Lot's application to operate a casino. However, analysts noted that Varyag had deteriorated too much to be used as an operational warship and pointed out that the Chinese Navy was concentrating on submarines. The Soviet carriers Kiev and Minsk had also been sold to China as tourist attractions.

In January 2015, further details emerged in an interview with Hong Kong-based businessman Xu Zengping by the South China Morning Post. Xu, a former military basketball player, reported that he had been commissioned by the PLAN to purchase the vessel on its behalf, with the floating hotel and casino as a cover story. He was warned that the Chinese Navy did not have the budget to buy the ship, and the Chinese government did not support the purchase. However, Xu was so impressed when touring the ship that he resolved to purchase it using his personal funds. The previous year, Xu had borrowed HK$230 million from a Hong Kong business friend, spending HK$6 million to create Chong Lot as a Macau shell corporation. He described a harrowing negotiation in Kyiv, lubricated by bribery and liquor, which helped to arrange victory at the auction. As a precaution, he shipped 40 tonnes of the carrier's blueprints to China overland in eight trucks.

Transfer to China

The passage from Ukraine to China was even more troublesome than the purchase. In June 2000, Varyag was taken under tow. As the tugboat approached the Bosphorus, Turkey denied permission for the ship to pass through, citing the risk that a gust of wind would turn the ship widthwise and block the entire strait. Varyag spent the next 16 months being towed around the Black Sea, accruing towing charges of $8,500 a day as Chong Lot stopped paying its bills. The tugboat operator compared its fate to the Yellow Fleet that was stuck in the Suez Canal for eight years, and French thrillseekers even landed a helicopter on the ship. Meanwhile, Chinese officials negotiated with Turkey, offering trade and tourism concessions.

In August 2001, Turkey relented and agreed to allow the ship to pass. On 1 November 2001, the Bosphorus was cleared of all other traffic as Varyag was towed through. On 2 November, Varyag also passed through the Dardanelles without incident. On 4 November, Varyag was caught in a force 10 gale and broke adrift while passing the Greek island of Skyros. The ship was taken back under tow on 6 November, after one sailor died while attempting to attach the tow lines.

The Suez Canal does not permit passage of "dead" ships – those without an on-board power source – so the hulk was towed through the Strait of Gibraltar, around Pointe des Almadies and the Cape of Good Hope, past Cape Agulhas and into the Indian Ocean and through the Straits of Malacca at an average speed of 6 knots (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) across the 15,200-nautical-mile (28,200 km; 17,500 mi) journey. The tugboat fleet called for supplies en route at Piraeus, Greece; Las Palmas, Canary Islands; Maputo, Mozambique; and Singapore. Varyag entered Chinese waters on 20 February 2002, and arrived on 3 March at the Dalian naval shipyard in northeast China. The costs included $25 million to the Ukrainian government for the hull, nearly $500,000 in transit fees, and $5 million for 20 months of towing fees.

Xu Zengping estimated in 2015 that his total out-of-pocket cost was at least US$120 million. He insisted that he had never been reimbursed by the Chinese government, and had spent the last 18 years repaying his debts, in part by selling properties such as his home. A source familiar with the acquisition explained that the naval official, Ji Shengde, who initiated the mission had been in prison because of smuggling.

Contrary to initial reports that the ship had no engines, Xu reported that all four original engines remained intact at the time of purchase, but had been shut down and preserved in grease seals. A refit restored them to working order in 2011.

Modernization and refurbishment

701st Institute was tasked to redesign Varyag with Zhu Yingfu (朱英富) and Wu Xiaoguang (吴晓光) were assigned respectively as the general designer and deputy general designer. Wang Zhiguo (王治国) was assigned as the general system engineer, and Yang Lei (杨雷) was assigned as the general supervisor. The workload of converting Varyag for operational use was equivalent to building ten new destroyers. Varyag was moved in June 2005 to a dry dock at Dalian (38°56′06″N 121°36′51″E / 38.935°N 121.6141°E / 38.935; 121.6141 (Varyag)). Her hull was sandblasted, scaffolding erected, and the ship's island was painted in a red marine primer to treat metal corrosion.

Observers have noted the installation of Type 348 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar (four arrays) and Sea Eagle radar. The air defence system consists of the Type 1130 CIWS and the HQ-10 missile system. The anti-ship missile tubes would not be used, freeing up internal space for hangar or storage use. Russia has explored similar modifications to her sister ship Admiral Kuznetsov.

In 2011 an analyst of DigitalGlobe (later: Maxar) spotted Liaoning as an aircraft carrier.

On 8 June 2011, General Chen Bingde made the first public acknowledgement of the ship's refit. On 27 July 2011, the Chinese Defence Ministry announced it was refitting the vessel for "scientific research, experiment and training".

In 2018, Asia Times reported that Sun Bo, a general manager of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, had allegedly passed on technical details of Liaoning to the Central Intelligence Agency. Sun was a general manager at the Dalian shipyard where the ship's refurbishment was done.

Sea trials

The ship undertook her first sea trials from 10 August 2011 to 15 August 2011. On 29 November 2011 the carrier left port for her second set of trials. The carrier completed her eighth sea trial between 7 and 21 June 2012 and returned to Dalian. In July 2012, the ship set out for the longest trials thus far, 25 days. The carrier completed sea trials in early August 2012 and loaded Shenyang J-15 aircraft and KJ-88, YJ-83K and YJ-91 missiles in preparation for weapons systems trials.

During sea trials, Liaoning experienced a steam burst in the engine compartment which forced the crew to evacuate some parts of the ship, and the ship lost power. The problem was ultimately resolved and power was restored, although the time duration of the problem has not been released by military officials.

Handover to the Navy

On 23 September 2012, the aircraft carrier was handed over to the PLAN, and was commissioned on 25 September 2012. At the commissioning ceremony, the carrier was officially named Liaoning, in honour of the province in which she was retrofitted. On 26 December 2012, the People's Daily reported that it would take four to five years for Liaoning to reach full capacity. As it was a training ship until 2018, Liaoning was not assigned to any of China's operational fleets.

According to geopolitical analysts, China could use Liaoning and its future carriers to intimidate other countries that have territorial claims in the South China Sea, as well as extending air control further south of the disputed region. In December 2016 the ship exercised in the Western Pacific, including passing through the Miyako Strait between the Japanese islands of Miyako-jima and Okinawa. On 18 April 2018, Liaoning took part in the navy's live-fire exercises in the South China Sea, involving 76 fighter jets and 48 warships and submarines. The drills came after a large military display presided over by Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping, and were condemned by Taiwan as "military intimidation".

Design

The Type 001 is built upon the unfinished hull of Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier Varyag. Unlike Soviet Admiral Kuznetsov, the Chinese Type 001 ships are configured solely as aircraft carriers. The cruise missile launchers were never installed, and the launcher base was removed during the refit to incorporate a larger hangar bay. The air-defense system consists of FL-3000N surface-to-air-missiles and the Type 1130 CIWS.

In August 2014, the Chinese-language Shanghai Morning Post listed that Liaoning would carry 36 aircraft: 24 Shenyang J-15 fighters, six Changhe Z-18F anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters, four Changhe Z-18J airborne early warning helicopters and two Harbin Z-9C rescue helicopters. The Chinese carrier aircraft inventory is similar to a balanced combat and support aircraft approach intended for Soviet aircraft carriers, which supported nuclear submarines, large surface combatants, and land-based strike bombers performing anti-access roles.

The Soviet lineage has its limitations. The air wing lacks long-range radar and anti-submarine fixed-wing aircraft, needing support from shore-based aircraft such as Tupolev Tu-154 ASW and Shaanxi Y-8 AWACS aircraft. The U.S. Department of Defense noted that J-15s will have below normal range and armament when operating from the carrier, due to limits imposed by the ski-jump takeoff system. The lack of a carrier onboard delivery aircraft like the United States Navy (USN) Grumman C-2 Greyhound also limits logistics capabilities. Liaoning would need extensive land-based support to oppose a USN carrier strike group; however, it would be potent against the Vietnam People's Navy and the Philippine Navy. Deficiencies will likely be corrected with future aircraft carriers, which are expected to be larger with conventional takeoff decks and catapult launching for heavier fighters, plus fixed-wing radar and anti-submarine patrol aircraft.

Operational history

Home port

Liaoning is visible on satellite imagery regularly berthed at a large jetty at the Yuchi Naval Base (near Huangdao) in China's Shandong province since 2013; this is reported as its home port.

Maintenance

In August 2018, the South China Morning Post reported that Liaoning was berthed at Dalian undergoing its first refit since its commissioning in 2012. The radar above Liaoning's bridge and the air traffic control at the rear of the island superstructure were noted to have been removed, and scaffolding was also noted around the command center. The refit was completed in January 2019, spending about six months. The ship superstructure was modified with an improved design, and the flight deck was completely stripped and refurbished.

Training and aircraft handling

On 4 November 2012, the People's Liberation Army's website (Chinese: 中国军网) reported that Shenyang J-15s had performed carrier touch-and-go training. On 25 November 2012, China announced that J-15s had made five successful arrested landings on Liaoning. In June 2013, a second round of flight tests began on board Liaoning, with personnel from the fleet air arm of the Brazilian Navy providing carrier training support to the People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force who operate the J-15s.

In August 2014, based on an article from Chinese state media, Western news outlets reported that two pilots had been killed testing jets slated to operate from Liaoning. Chinese military officials stated such reports were misleading, and clarified that deaths were in fact unrelated with tests on the carrier. The original Chinese article from Xinhua also did not link the deaths with the J-15 nor mention any loss of such aircraft.

On 5 April 2021, the aircraft carrier Liaoning, destroyers Chengdu, Taiyuan, Nanchang, frigate Huanggang and supply ship Hulunhu were spotted between Okinawa and Miyako Island.

In December 2021, Liaoning carrier group was deployed to Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and the Western Pacific.

In May 2022, Liaoning and its carrier strike group conducted drills in the East China Sea and they were sighted near Miyako Island by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. Japanese analysts noted a very high operational tempo from Liaoning, which suggested China's growing confidence and maturity in aircraft carrier operations.

On 14 October 2024, Chinese Eastern Theater Command spokesman Captain Li Xi confirmed that the Liaoning aircraft carrier group was taking part in the Joint Sword-2024B military exercises around Taiwan.

See also

• List of aircraft carriers
• List of aircraft carriers of Russia and the Soviet Union
• INS Vikramaditya, a Kiev-class aircraft carrier that was also originally built for the Soviet Navy and later sold to India in 2004
• Liu Zhe, the captain of Liaoning
• Chinese aircraft carrier Fujian

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External links

• varyagworld.com
• Transformation of the Varyag into a PLAN Aircraft Carrier
• "Varyag Aircraft Carrier" article on sinodefence.com
• physical location in the World
• Satellite Photo of Varyag in Dalian, China from Google Maps
• Chinese carrier operations
• "China's aircraft carrier anchors in military port" Slideshow, People's Daily Xinhua 10:14, 27 February 2013

v t e Kuznetsov-class aircraft carriers
Russian Navy	Admiral Kuznetsov
People's Liberation Army Navy	Liaoning Shandong (modified design)
Soviet: Preceded by: Kiev class Kuznetsov Followed by: Ulyanovsk (never built)
Chinese: Preceded by: none Type 001/002 Followed by: Type 003
List of aircraft carriers of Russia and the Soviet Union

v t e Active ship classes of the People's Liberation Army Navy
Submarines Nuclear ballistic missile (SSBN) Type 096 Type 094 (Jin class) Type 092 (Xia class) Nuclear attack (SSN) Type 095 Type 093/A (Shang class) Type 091 (Han class) Conventional ballistic missile (SSB) Type 032 (Qing class) Conventional attack (SS/SSK) Air-independent propulsion equipped (SSI/SSP) Type 039A/AG/B/C or Type 041 (Yuan class) Hunter-killer (SSK) Type 039/039G (Song class) Project 636 (Kilo II class) Project 877EKM (Kilo I class) ES5E/F and Type 035G/035ET/035B (Ming class) Medium (SS) ES5C/D and Type 035/035A (Ming class) Unclassified miscellaneous (IXSS) Chinese sailless submarine Olympics Class
Principal surface combatants Aircraft carriers (CV) Chinese aircraft carrier programme Type 004 Type 003 Type 002 (Kuznetsov Mod. class) Type 001 (Kuznetsov class) Destroyers (DDG) Type 055 (Renhai class) Type 052D (Luyang III class) Type 052C (Luyang II class) Type 052B (Luyang I class) Type 052 (Luhu class) Type 051C (Luzhou class) Type 051B (Luhai class) Project 956EM Sovremenny II class Project 956 Sovremenny I class Frigates (FFG) Type 054B (Jiangkai III class) Type 054A (Jiangkai II class) Type 054 (Jiangkai I or Ma'anshan class) Type 053H3 (Jiangwei II class) Type 053H1G (Jianghu V class) Type 053H1 (Jianghu II class)
Coastal warfare vessels Corvettes (FS) Type 056 (Jiangdao class) Submarine chasers (PCSC) Type 037-IS (Haiqing class) Type 037-I (Haijiu class) Type 062-I (Haizhui class) Type 037 (Hainan class) Project 122bis Kronshtadt class Armed merchantmen (SP) Type 113 Type 801 Type 8105 Type 8101 Type 8154 Type 792 naval trawlers Missile boats (PCM) Type 22 (Houbei class) Type 037-II (Houjian class) Type 037-IG (Houxin class) Type 021 (Houdong class) Type 021 (Huangfeng class or Soviet Osa-I class) Type 021 (Hola class) C 14 (China Cat class) Type 024 (Heku/Hegu/Houku/Hougu class) Torpedo boats (PT) Type 6625/025/026/026II/R704 (Huchuan class) Gunboats (PG) Type 062-I (Shanghai III class) Type 062 (Shanghai II class) Type 062 (Shanghai I class) Type 206 (Huludao class) Patrol boats (PB) Seagoing Type 026H Port security boat (PSB) Huangpu class Reconnaissance patrol combatant (PGR) Type 528 Type 865
Amphibious warfare vessels Landing helicopter dock (LHD) or Landing helicopter assault (LHA) Type 076 (Yulan class) Type 075 (Yushen class) Amphibious transport dock (LPD) Type 071 (Yuzhao class) Dock landing ship (LSD) Type 072III (Yuting I class) Type 072A (Yuting II class) Landing ship helicopter (LSH) Type 073-III (Yudeng class) Type 073A (Yunshu class) Landing ship tank (LST) Type 072 (Yukan class) Type 072-II (Yuting I class) Landing ship medium (LSM) Type 271IIIA (Yulü class) Type 073-I (Yudao class) Type 073-II (Yudao class) Type 073-IIY (Yudao class) Type 074A (Yubei class) Type 079-I (Yulian class) Type 079-II (Yulian class) Landing craft (LC) Landing craft tank (LCT) Type 068/069 (Yuch'in class) Type 067 (Yunnan class) Landing craft utility (LCU) Type 271III Type 074 (Yuhai or Wuhu-A class) Air-cushioned landing craft (LCAC) Project 1232.2 Zubr class Type 726 (Yuyi class) Type 724 Type 722-II (Jinsha II class) Type 722-I (Jinsha I class) Type 716-II (Dagu B class)
Mine warfare vessels (MCM) Minelayers (ML) Type 918 (Wolei class) Auxiliary minelayers (MMA) Type 8154 Minehunters (MH) Type 081 (Wochi class) Type 081A Type 082 (Wosao class) Type 082II (Wozang class) Minesweepers (MS) Type 010 Type 05 Minesweeping drone (MSD) Type 529 Type 312 (Futi class) Auxiliary Minesweepers (MSA) Type 801 Type 8105 Type 8101 Type 8154 Type 792
Auxiliary vessels Ammunition ships (AE/AEM) Ammunition ship (AE) Type 072 (Yantai class) Ammunition ship, Missile/Rocket (AEM) Yuan Wang 21 (operated by SSF) Yuan Wang 22 (operated by SSF) Buoy tenders (AGL) Type 066 Yuch'in class Type 744A Yannan class Type 911I Yunan/Yunnan class Type 944A Yanni class Cable layers (ARC) Type 911II Yunan/Yunnan class Type 991I Type 991II Youdian class Cargo ships (AK) Reefer ships (AF) Dongleng class Cargo ships (AK) Qiongsha class Retired landing ships/crafts Float-on/float- off ships (AKF) Modified Hansa Sonderberg class Donghai Island Zhen Hua 33 General stores issue ships (AKS) Type 904 Dayun class Type 904A Danyao class Type 904B Danyao II class Roll-on/roll- off ships (AKR) Bo Sea Pearl class Chang Da Long China Revival China Railway Bo Sea No.3 Container ships (AKX) Converted/militarized container ships Self-propelled lighters/barges (YF) 500 cubic meter Dongbo 22 Crane ship (AB) Beiqi 384 class Unidentified class: Nan-Qi 746 Degaussing / deperming ships (ADG) Type 911 Dazar class Type 912/912I/912III/Type 912IIIA Yanbai class Type 912IIIAH Yanci class Dive tenders (YDT) Longma class ARS/YDT Type 904I/904II Yanqian class AGE/YDT Dredgers (AGD) 8-m class Beijun 204 class Dongjun 417 class Dongjun 433 class Dongjun 434 class Nanjun 610 class Dredgers of unknown class/type: Bei-Jun 271, 273, 274, 277 & 278 Engineering ships Engineering ships of unknown class/type: Bei-Gong 275 & 276 Environmental research ships (AGER) Dulaji class Fleet Replenishment ship (AEFS) Type 901 Fuyu class Type 903 Fuchi I class Type 903A Fuchi II class Type 908 Fusu class Floating pile drivers (YPD) 36-m class floating pile driver Donggong 429 class Nangong 681 class General purpose research ships (AGE) Dubei class AGT/AGE Kandao class YFB/AGE Kantan class AGTR/AGE Type 904I & Type 904II Yanqian class YDT/AGE Type 906 Xiang Yang Hong 9 class YTT/AGE Harbor utility craft (YFU) Converted from various retired gunboats such as Type 53 and Type 55A Hospital ships (AH) Hospital ships (AH) Type 919 Anshen class Type 920 Anwei class Medical evacuation ships (AHP) Zhuanghe Ambulance transports (APH) Qiongsha class Ambulance craftd (YH) Ankang class Hydrographic survey ships (AGS) Type 55 Shantou class Type 068/069 (Yuch'in class) Type 635 A/B/C & Type 635II Yanlai class Type 636A Shupang class Type 639A Shupang class Type 646 Kanyang class Type 8101 Type 8105/Type 8154/Type 792 FT-14 AIT class Yanjiu class Icebreakers (AGB) Type 272 Museum ships PLANS Heroic Gunboat in the Toumenshan Naval Battle PLANS Liberation Minquan-class gunboat (replica) Project 183 P-6-class torpedo boat Type 021 missile boat Type 024 missile boat Type 031 ballistic submarine (SSB) Type 033 submarine (SS) Type 051 destroyer (DDG) Type 053K frigate (FFG) Type 091 submarine (SSN) Type 6607 destroyer (DDG) Oceanographic research ships (AGOR) Type 639A Shupang class Type 645 Zhang Jian Oceanographic surveillance ships (AGOS) Ruili No. 10 Type 927 Dongjian class Type 988 Personnel transport (AP) Barracks ships (APB) Daguan class AXT/APT/APB Dispatch boat (YFB/YFL) Duchuan class Dufei class Dukou class Duludao class Dumujiu class Dusso class Duzhou class Nanjiao 90 class Transport ships (AP) Type 081 Red Flag class Darong class APT/AP Troopships (APT) Daguan class AXT/APB/APT Darong class AP/APT Qiongsha class Range support & target ships (AGT) Dachou class TR/TWR/AGT Dubei class AGE/AGT Type 811 Type 917 Damen class TR/TWR/AGT Decommissioned ships Repair ships (AR) Repair dry docks (ARD) 120t class Dongxiu 912 Hua Chuan No. 1 class Repair ships (AR) Type 648 Dadao class Rescue and salvage ships Heavy-lift ship (YHLC) Type 633 Rescue ships (ARS) Datuo class ATR/ARS Haijiu 101 class Longma class YDT/ARS Type 917 Dasan class Salvage ships (ATS) Type 922II Dalang class Type 922III Dalang II class Type 922IIIA Dalang III class Spy ships (AGI) Type 814A Dadie class Type 815 Dongdiao I class Type 815G/Type 815A Dongdiao II class Type 8105/Type 8154/Type 792 FT-14 AIT class Submarine support ships Submarine rescue ships (ASR) Type 930 Hudong class Type 946 Dazhou class Type 946A Dadong class Submarine tenders (AS) Type 925 Dajiang class Type 926 Dalao class Submersibles (X) Deep-submergence rescue vehicle (DSRV) Type 7103 DSRV LR7 Deep-submergence vehicle (DSV) Harmony class Jiaolong class Rainbowfish class Sea Pole class Struggler class Other Submersibles (X) Osprey-class submersible Mobile diving bell QSZ-II submersible Diver propulsion vehicles (DPV) QX-50 QY-18 QY-40 QJY-001 Tankers Replenishment tanker (AOR) Hua Chuan Transport oiler (AOT) Fubai class Fujian class Fushi class Type 620 Shengli class Type 631 Fuchang class Type 637 Fuxiao class Water tanker (AWT) Fujian class Fushi class Jinyou class Nanshui 701 class Type 637 Fuxiao class Type 645 Guangzhou class Technological research ships Sonar trials ships Kantan class AGE/AGTR Technical research ships (AGTR) Mirage Hunter Unclassified Miscellaneous Submarine (IXSS) Chinese sailless submarine Torpedo trials craft Torpedo retrievers (TR/TWR) Dachou class AGT/TR/TWR Type 803 Type 917 Damen class AGT/TR/TWR Torpedo trials ships (YTT) Type 906 Xiang Yang Hong 9 class AGE/YTT Type 907A Tracking ship (AGM) Type 830 ATR/AGM Yuanwang class ARIS/AGM Training ships (AX) Training ship (AX) Daguan APB)/APT/AXT Type 0891A Dashi class Type 679 Daxing class Type 680 Dadu class Yanxi class ATLS/AX Training ship, sail (AXS) Type 2630 Onshore stationary training facilities Type 033 (Romeo class) Type 051/051Z (Luda class) Type 053H1Q (Jianghu-IV class) Type 6607 (Anshan class) Tugs (AT) Harbor tug (YT) Beituo 617 class Beituo 699 class Beituo 702 class Beituo 715 class Large harbor tug (YTB) Ducha class Duda class Duhast class Dupo class Rescue Tug (ATR) Bei-Tuo 739 class Datuo class ARS/ATR Dong-Tuo 835 class Haixiu 121 class Daozha class Type 830 AGM/ATR Sea-going Tug (ATA) Type 802 Gromovoy class Type 837 Hujiu class Type 852 Roslavl class Tugs of unknown class/type Bei-Tuo 153, 651, 704, 728, Dong-Tuo 845, 861, Nan-Tuo 142, 163, 168, 176, 187, 188 UAV mothershps (ATLS) Fighting Shark No.1 Yanxi class AGM/AVM/ATLS Unmanned surface vehicles (USV) CASIC USVs Chinese Sea Hunter Sky Journey 1 HUST USVs JARI USV JUST USV Ostar USVs PWT USV Shanghai University USV Type 80 demolition boat VVLAI USV WSST USVs Yunzhou USVs Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) CR series Explorer series HSU-001 Intelligent Water class JUST AUVs Micro Dragon Series Orange Shark series Ostar AUVs Poseidon series Robosea AUVs Sea Clever Sea Whale series Submerged Dragon series THLMT AUVs Wukong WZODA XTDT Benthic landers CAS series Rainbowfish series Bottom crawlers Aquadrobotman series CSSC series Deepinfar series JUST series Robosea series SBSS series Sea Crab Sea Star THLMT unmanned vehicles#Underwater series VVLAI series Hybrid UUVs (Autonomous remotely -operated vehicles, ARVs) 7B8 Arctic series Hadal Hadal 1 Rainbowfish ARV Remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROUV) 8A4 8H4 Aquarobotman ROUV Deepinfar ROUVs Discovery Dragon Emperor Dragon Pearl Goldfish series JH-01 (Jiao-Hai 01) JTD-01 Deep Eel I JTML-02 JTMP series JTR series JUST ROUVs Max ROV Oceanxer ROUVs Ostar ROUVs PWT ROUV RECON-IV ROUV Robosea ROUVs SBSS ROUVs Sea Dragon series Sea Person (Hai-Ren/HR) series Sea Pole Sea Star 6000 Sea Submergence series SJT series ST-6000 THLMT ROUVs VVLAI ROUVs Walrus 1500 Underwater gliders Flying Wing Petrel series Sea Soar series Deepinfar Sea Wing series THLMT series Wave gliders CSSC series Hydrovo series Ostar series THLMT Black Pearl Weapon trials ships (AVM/AGM) Type 909 Wuhu-B class Type 909A Dahua class Type 910 Dahua-II class
* = Under construction or procurement, = Classified as guided missile cruiser by NATO, = Classified as light frigate by PLAN

• Admiral Kuznetsov-class aircraft carriers
• Ships built at the Black Sea Shipyard
• 1988 ships
• History of Dalian
• History of Macau
• Abandoned military projects of the Soviet Union
• Aircraft carriers of the People's Liberation Army Navy
• Ships built in the Soviet Union