Analysis: Overview of the Surface Chinese Force in 2025


A document was published on Twitter by Louis Cheung about what the People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force could be like in 2025. The Navy would include four aircraft carriers, eight Type 075 landing helicopter docks (LHD), three Type 076 landing helicopter docks, and 291 other ships.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 Overview of the future Surface Chinese Force (Picture source: Weibo)


Two Kuznetsov-class aircraft carriers

The Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier, Soviet designation Project 1143.5, is a class of fixed-wing aircraft carriers operated by the Russian and Chinese navies.

Originally designed for the Soviet Navy, the Kuznetsov-class ships use a ski-jump to launch high-performance conventional aircraft in a STOBAR configuration. They measure about 315 metres (1,033 ft) long, with a displacement of about 55,000 tonnes (66,000 - 70,000 loaded).

Two Chinese-made aircraft carriers

The Type 003 aircraft carrier is a second-generation Chinese aircraft carrier under construction for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China. It will be the first Chinese aircraft carrier to use a CATOBAR system and electromagnetic (EM) launch catapults.

Eight Type 075 landing helicopter docks

The Type 075 landing helicopter dock (NATO reporting name: Yushen-class landing helicopter assault) is a class of Chinese amphibious assault ships under construction by the Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding company for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

It has a full-length flight deck for helicopter operations and features a floodable well deck from which to disembark hovercraft and armored amphibious assault vehicles.

The LHD has a displacement of 36,000 tons, a capacity of 30 helicopters, diesel engine with the 9,000 kW 16PC2-6B, and four CIWS including two HHQ-10 and two H/PJ-11.

Three Type 076 landing helicopter docks

The Type 076 landing helicopter dock is a class of planned Chinese amphibious assault ship. Compared to the Type 075, the Type 076 is expected to have an electromagnetic aircraft catapult and arresting gear for operating fixed-wing aircraft, likely unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAV).

Twelve Type 071 amphibious transport dock

The Type 071 (NATO reporting name: Yuzhao) is a class of Chinese amphibious transport dock ships in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).

The amphibious warfare ship features a vehicle deck, well-deck, landing deck, and a hangar. It can carry a combination of marines, vehicles, landing craft, and helicopters. The ship may embark 600 to 800 troops.

The stern helicopter deck offers two landing spots for supporting the operations of two Z-8 (SA 321 Super Frelon) transport helicopters. The twin-door cantilever hangar can house up to four Z-8 helicopters.

Sixteen Type 055 destroyers

The Type 055 destroyer (NATO/OSD Renhai-class cruiser) is a class of stealth guided missile destroyers (guided-missile cruisers per NATO/OSD standard) being constructed for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy.

It is a multi-mission design; the combination of sensors and weapons suggests a main role of area air defense, with anti-submarine warfare capabilities surpassing previous Chinese surface combatants.

Having a displacement of more than 12,000 tons, Type 055 is equipped with 112 vertical launch missile cells capable of launching a combination of surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, land-attack missiles, and anti-submarine missiles.

Forty Type 052D destroyers

The Type 052D destroyer (Luyang III-class destroyer) is a class of guided-missile destroyers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. The destroyer uses a canister-type, instead of a revolver-type, vertical launching system (VLS) and has flat-paneled active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.


Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 Overview of the future Surface Chinese Force (Picture source: Weibo)