South Sea Fleet
Encyclopedia
The People's Republic of China
's South Sea Fleet (SSF) was first established in late 1949. The flagship of the SSF is the AOR/AK Nanchang (953).
Initially, the fleet's strength consisted mostly of former Kuomintang
ships and personnel, which either defected or were captured by the People's Liberation Army
. One of three fleets of the People's Liberation Army Navy
, the SSF's duties were to protect the city of Guangzhou and the Pearl River regions, and support the PLA in capturing islands that were still in the hands of the Kuomintang forces. The fleet's development has been slow, because most of China's shipbuilding industry is located on the northern or eastern coasts. In the 1970s the fleet underwent a major buildup, due to conflict in the Paracel Islands
and other reefs in the South China Sea
. In 1974, the SSF took the Paracel Islands from South Vietnam
, which resulted in the sinking of one South Vietnamese frigate
while damaging another. The latest incident was in 1988, when a Chinese naval task force engaged Vietnam
ese naval forces, sinking one Vietnamese warship and damaging another.
Most of the fleet's surface ships are located at Zhanjiang
naval base, while all of the fleet's submarines are at Yulin
navy base on Hainan Island. The SSF has many other bases included Guangzhou, Haikou, Shantou, Mawei, and Beihai, while naval air force bases are at Lingshui, Haikou, Sanya, Zhanjiang, and Guiping. The fleet's area of operations is divided into six zones.
A task group under the fleet's deputy commander, Rear Admiral Su Zhiquan, consisting of the Luyang I class destroyer Guangzhou and the tanker Weishanhu visited several European ports, including Portsmouth, Cadiz, and Toulon, in September–October 2007. During the visit the two ships conducted communications and maritime rescue drills with HMS Ark Royal
.
, but was later relocated to Zhanjiang
.
Naval air force bases:
Destroyer
s:
Frigate
s:
Diesel-Electric submarines:
Landing ships:
No Longer Valid: *http://www.sinodefence.com/navy/orbat/southseafleet.asp
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
's South Sea Fleet (SSF) was first established in late 1949. The flagship of the SSF is the AOR/AK Nanchang (953).
Initially, the fleet's strength consisted mostly of former Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
ships and personnel, which either defected or were captured by the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
. One of three fleets of the People's Liberation Army Navy
People's Liberation Army Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy is the naval branch of the People's Liberation Army , the military of the People's Republic of China. Until the early 1990s, the navy performed a subordinate role to the PLA Land Forces. Since then, it has undergone rapid modernisation...
, the SSF's duties were to protect the city of Guangzhou and the Pearl River regions, and support the PLA in capturing islands that were still in the hands of the Kuomintang forces. The fleet's development has been slow, because most of China's shipbuilding industry is located on the northern or eastern coasts. In the 1970s the fleet underwent a major buildup, due to conflict in the Paracel Islands
Paracel Islands
The Paracel Islands, also called Xisha Islands in Chinese and Hoàng Sa Islands in Vietnamese, is a group of islands under the administration of Hainan Province, The People's Republic of China. Vietnam and the Republic of China also claim sovereignty of these islands...
and other reefs in the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
. In 1974, the SSF took the Paracel Islands from South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, which resulted in the sinking of one South Vietnamese frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
while damaging another. The latest incident was in 1988, when a Chinese naval task force engaged Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
ese naval forces, sinking one Vietnamese warship and damaging another.
Most of the fleet's surface ships are located at Zhanjiang
Zhanjiang
Zhanjiang , formerly known as Tsamkong, Tsankiang, Fort-Bayard, and Kwang-Chou-Wan, is a prefecture-level city at the southwestern end of Guangdong province of Southern China, facing the island of Hainan to the south....
naval base, while all of the fleet's submarines are at Yulin
Sanya
Sanya is the southernmost city in China and is a part of Hainan Province. In 2006, it had a population of 536,000, making it, after the provincial capital , the second most populous city on the island. The city is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination,...
navy base on Hainan Island. The SSF has many other bases included Guangzhou, Haikou, Shantou, Mawei, and Beihai, while naval air force bases are at Lingshui, Haikou, Sanya, Zhanjiang, and Guiping. The fleet's area of operations is divided into six zones.
A task group under the fleet's deputy commander, Rear Admiral Su Zhiquan, consisting of the Luyang I class destroyer Guangzhou and the tanker Weishanhu visited several European ports, including Portsmouth, Cadiz, and Toulon, in September–October 2007. During the visit the two ships conducted communications and maritime rescue drills with HMS Ark Royal
HMS Ark Royal (R07)
HMS Ark Royal is a decommissioned light aircraft carrier and former flagship of the Royal Navy. She was the third and final vessel of Invincible-class...
.
Major Naval Bases in the Fleet
The fleet headquarters was, at first, at GuangzhouGuangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, but was later relocated to Zhanjiang
Zhanjiang
Zhanjiang , formerly known as Tsamkong, Tsankiang, Fort-Bayard, and Kwang-Chou-Wan, is a prefecture-level city at the southwestern end of Guangdong province of Southern China, facing the island of Hainan to the south....
.
- YulinSanyaSanya is the southernmost city in China and is a part of Hainan Province. In 2006, it had a population of 536,000, making it, after the provincial capital , the second most populous city on the island. The city is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination,...
, Hainan Island - GuangzhouGuangzhouGuangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
- HaikouHaikouHǎikǒu , is the capital and most populous city of Hainan Province, in the People's Republic of China. It is situated on the northern coast of Hainan, by the mouth of the Nandu River...
- ShantouShantouShantou , historically known as Swatow or Suátao, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern coast of Guangdong province, People's Republic of China, with a total population of 5,391,028 as of 2010 and an administrative area of...
- Mawei
- BeihaiBeihaiBeihai is a prefecture-level city of Guangxi, China. Beihai means "north of the sea" in Chinese, signifying its status as a seaport on the north shore of the Gulf of Tonkin. Between the years 2006 and 2020, Beihai is predicted to be the world's fastest growing city...
- Stonecutters IslandStonecutters IslandStonecutters Island or Ngong Shuen Chau is a former island in Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong. Following land reclamation, it is now annexed to the Kowloon peninsula.-Fauna:...
, Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
- People's Liberation Army Hong Kong GarrisonPeople's Liberation Army Hong Kong GarrisonThe People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison is a garrison of the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China responsible for defence duties of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region since the sovereignty of Hong Kong was returned to the PRC in 1997...
Naval air force bases:
- LingshuiLingshuiLingyuan is a subdistrict in Jinjiang, Fujian, China. It has a population of 25,500,It has 10 communities:*Lingshui *Zenglin *Dashanhou *Dabulin *Xiaobulin *Linkou *Zhangqian *Yingtang *Linge...
- HaikouHaikouHǎikǒu , is the capital and most populous city of Hainan Province, in the People's Republic of China. It is situated on the northern coast of Hainan, by the mouth of the Nandu River...
- SanyaSanyaSanya is the southernmost city in China and is a part of Hainan Province. In 2006, it had a population of 536,000, making it, after the provincial capital , the second most populous city on the island. The city is renowned for its tropical climate and has emerged as a popular tourist destination,...
- ZhanjiangZhanjiangZhanjiang , formerly known as Tsamkong, Tsankiang, Fort-Bayard, and Kwang-Chou-Wan, is a prefecture-level city at the southwestern end of Guangdong province of Southern China, facing the island of Hainan to the south....
- Guiping
Ships in the fleet
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s:
- 2 Luyang II-Class DDGGuided missile destroyerA guided missile destroyer is a destroyer designed to launch guided missiles. Many are also equipped to carry out anti-submarine, anti-air, and anti-surface operations. In the U.S...
:- Lanzhou (170)Chinese destroyer Lanzhou (170)Lanzhou is the lead ship of the Chinese Type 052C destroyer class . The ship was laid down in late 2002, launched on 29 April 2003, and commissioned in July 2004. The destroyer is active with the People's Republic of China's South Sea Fleet....
- Haikou (171)
- Lanzhou (170)
- 2 Luyang-Class:
- Guangzhou (168)
- Wuhan (169)
- 1 Luhai-Class:
- Shenzhen (167)
- 6 Luda-Class:
- Changsha (161)
- Nanning (162)
- Nanchang (163)
- Guilin (164)
- Zhanjiang (165)
- Zhuhai (166)
Frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s:
- 4 Jiangkai-Class IIType 054A frigateThe Type 054A frigate is a Chinese multi-role warship that entered service with the People's Liberation Army Navy in 2007...
:- Huangshan (570)
- Chaohu (568)
- Yuncheng (571)
- Yulin (569)
- 4 Jiangwei II-Class:
- Yichang (564)
- Yulin (565)
- Yuxi (566)
- Xiangfan (567)
- 6 Jianghu V-Class:
- Beihai (558)
- Kangding (559)
- Dongguan (560)
- Shantou (561)
- Jiangmen (562)
- Foshan (563)
- 4 Jianghu II-Class:
- Shaoguan (553)
- Anshun (554)
- Zhaotong (555)
- Jishou (557)
Diesel-Electric submarines:
- 8 Ming-Class
Landing ships:
- 1 Yuzhao-Class LPDAmphibious transport dockAn amphibious transport dock, also called a landing platform/dock , is an amphibious warfare ship, a warship that embarks, transports, and lands elements of a landing force for expeditionary warfare missions. Several navies currently operate this kind of ship...
:- Kunlun Shan (998)
- 11 Yuting-Class LST:
- 991
- 934
- 935
- 936
- 937
- 938
- 939
- 940
- 908
- 909
- 910
- 6 Qiongsha-Class troop transport ships:
- NY830
- NY831
- NY832
- NY833
- NY834
- NY835
- 1 hospital ship
- 4 Yudao-ClassType 073 landing ship mediumThe Type 073 landing ship medium is a class of landing ship, medium of the People's Liberation Army Navy known as Yudao class for earlier versions, while the latest Type 073 IV is known as Yunshu...
LSMs
External links and references
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china/south-sea.htm
No Longer Valid: *http://www.sinodefence.com/navy/orbat/southseafleet.asp