In the report submitted to Congress annually, the Pentagon has stated: “The PRC has the
largest navy in the world, with an overall battle force of approximately 350 ships and
submarines including over 130 major surface combatants.
In comparison, the US Navy’s battle force is approximately 293 ships as of early 2020.”
Speaking at a press conference, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for China Chad Sbragia
said that China was on course to expand its fleet to 360 vessels by the end of 2020.
Viewers may note that in 2019 China had a 335-ship fleet, about 55 percent larger than
in 2005, as per the recent Congressional Research Service report titled, “China’s Naval
Modernization: Implications for U.S. Navy Capabilities — Background and Issues for
Congress.”
This clearly depicts the frantic shipbuilding pace China has maintained in recent years.
Overall the picture looks daunting for the rivals of China - it is the world’s top
manufacturer, has the second largest economy, and now the world’s largest naval force.
Many will think that the Chinese Navy will dominate especially in the Asia-Pacific region.
But there is a caveat, larger doesn’t always mean more powerful.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes why the Chinese Navy is no match to the U.S Navy
even though it is now the larger one?
Let’s get started
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Although China has more seafaring vessels than the United States, the size of those
are much smaller.
It is about quantity vs quality.
The U.S. Navy still has a combined tonnage of at least twice that of China’s.
If the United States Navy wanted more ships, it could have built more small boats with
the same budget.
But this is not the case, U.S Navy prioritizes 100,000-ton supercarriers, 40,000 large amphibious
ships, as well as larger destroyers and cruisers over smaller frigates and vessels like littoral
combat ships.
Actually, the US Navy defines “warship” in such a way that huge numbers of its own
smaller vessels are not considered when it comes to counting the size of the blue-water
fleet.
So, going by just the number of vessels is misleading.
A single hornet can kill as many as 40 bees per minute due to its large mandibles, which
can quickly strike and decapitate prey.
An analogy can be drawn - a single large warship armed with potent weapons could destroy a
substantial number of smaller and less capable vessels.
China currently has only two carriers.
The Liaoning entered service in 2012.
The nation’s first fully indigenously built carrier, the Shandong, entered service in
December.
Both of these are conventionally powered and have an estimated displacement of 60,000 to
66,000 tons.
Liaoning can accommodate around 30 aircraft whereas Shandong may be able to carry 40 aircraft.
Both these carrier uses “ski ramp” which limits the fuel and weapons carried by the
fighters.
A third Chinese carrier is under construction, and a fourth may see construction starting
2021.
These vessels are expected to be larger with a displacement of 80,000 tons and may have
a catapult system to launch aircraft.
China is developing a 5th generation stealth jet for its carrier, but there is still a
long way before it can be deployed operationally.
The United States, on the other hand, has 10 nuclear-powered Nimitz class supercarriers
and is acquiring new Ford-class platform, which is designed to have a 33% increase in
sortie generation rate when compared to Nimitz class vessels.
The lead ship, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is undergoing post-delivery test and trials,
and the follow-on carriers - John F. Kennedy, Enterprise, and Doris Miller are scheduled
to be delivered in 2024, 2028, and 2032, respectively.
All these carriers have a proven fleet of F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler, and
E-2 Hawkeye and these operate with full payload because of the availability of the CATOBAR
system.
Also, these supercarriers are on their way to carry advanced assets like 5th generation
F-35C fighter jets as well as MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial tankers.
It is clear that U.S Navy dominates this category by a large margin.
The Pentagon’s China report noted that Beijing “remains engaged in a robust surface combatant
construction program, producing new guided-missile cruisers (CG), guided-missile destroyers (DDG)
and guided-missile frigates (FFG) which will significantly upgrade the [PLA Navy’s] air
defense, anti-ship and anti-submarine capabilities.”
The Renhai-class Type 055 cruiser, which reportedly has a displacement of 13,000 tons is PLAN’s
most potent surface combatant.
China plans to build 8 of these and the first one named ‘Nanchang' is currently in active
service.
It also has Luyang III Type 052D class destroyers, which displace about 7,500 tons.
Interestingly these are thought to be equipped with phased-array radars and vertical-launch
missile systems like American warships.
The ships have been in serial production for some time now and the 23rd vessel was launched
in December.
The People's Liberation Army Navy is also building Type 056 corvette has 44 of these
in active service.. these have a displacement of 1,500 tons and are designed to be multi-mission
warships.
Also In September, China launched the first of a new class of amphibious assault ships
called the Type 075 that has an estimated displacement of 35,000 to 40,000 tons.
US Navy has 25+ Ticonderoga-class cruisers and 65+ Arleigh Burke-class destroyers which
are multirole warships.
Ticonderoga-class has 122 and Arleigh Burke-class has 92 MK 41 cells which can be used to deploy
a variety of different kinds of weapons.
It has 8 Wasp-class amphibious assault ships and has also started deploying the America-class
amphibious assault ship.
US Navy also posses Zumwalt-class destroyers which feature unique wave-piercing tumblehome
hulls.
The design significantly reduces the radar cross-section since the slope makes the hull
return very less radar signal that is directed to it when compared to a traditional hull.
This makes the ship harder to detect and target - some reports indicate that the ship has
a radar return similar to a small fishing boat.
China has nothing like this.
With the inclusion of Littoral Combat Ship, the US Navy has also plug certain holes like
operating in constrained places.
The service has plans for a new multi-mission frigate known as FFG(X) which is expected
to be equipped with the Aegis weapon system.
The weapons pack in the Chinese warship are largely untested in real war scenarios unlike
the American once and this will give crucial advantage to the U.S Navy.
China’s submarine force has vessels that are mostly diesel-electric powered, could
threaten U.S. carriers or other ships.
The Defense Intelligence Agency has estimated that by this year China would have a submarine
fleet of about 70 boats.
These are equipped with anti-ship cruise missiles, wire-guided and wake-homing torpedoes, and
mines
It includes nuclear-powered attack submarines, or SSNs, such as the Shang class, and ballistic
missile boats like Type 094 Jin-class each of which can carry 12 JL-2 nuclear-armed ballistic
missiles.
The U.S. Navy currently has 69 submarines of which all are nuclear powered and much
more sophisticated when it comes to sensors and stealth.
It recently signed a deal to buy 9 Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines that will
be equipped with the Virginia Payload Module which will increase the missile-carrying capacity
by about 75%.
It is also pursuing a new class of 12 nuclear-powered ballistic missile subs, Columbia, to replace
the aging Ohio class.
Each boat will carry 16 Trident II nuclear tipped missiles.
The lead ship is scheduled to be operational by 2031.
U.S has a distinct edge when it comes to the undersea fleet since the Chinese submarine
fleet is way noisier when compared to U.S or Western subs which make them easy to detect and target.