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2016 Report on the State of the PLAN 
Note: For all photos in the report, refer to This Flickr Album for high resolution images of teach.
8. SUMMARY OF 2016 PLAN REPORT As this report illustrates, the Chinese Navy continues to develop, modernize, and grow rapidly. They will soon have two full sized, fixed wing aircraft carriers and all of the necessary logistical vessels, escort ships, and infrastructure to form Carrier Stike Groups (CSGs) and continue building their naval air capability into the future. They also have four large LPDs and are building more, and in conjunction with the modern LSTs they have, are also now in a position to form Anphibious Ready Groups (ARGs) of their own. Of equal importance, the quality, capabilities, and numbers of their new corvettes, gudied missile frigates, and guided missile destroyers are nothing short of phenominal given where they were as a nation and a Navy just 10-15 years ago. The PLAN has thus clearly become the second most powerful Navy in the Western Pacfic, and shows no signs of slowing down. In terms of total force on force capability, it will be a very long time before they could match the United States Navy in total numbers and in overall technology. But in terms of regional power, particularly in the Western Pacific, they are showing themselves to be a nation and a naval force that must be respected and reckoned with.
It's been a very eventful year. Lots of critical information and developments in the Western Pacific. This next year will probably be equally interesting.
Jeff Head RETURN TO MAIN PAGE OF THE 2016 PLAN REPORT
Other links of Interest:
World-Wide Aircraft Carriers
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