US Navy vs Chinese Navy (PLAN) - Strategy & Numbers (2014-2017)

A look at the US Navy and People's Liberation Army Navy strategies, organization and numbers. Most data is from 2014 to 2017. Of course some historical context is given too.

Military History Visualized provides a series of short narrative and visual presentations like documentaries based on academic literature or sometimes primary sources. Videos are intended as introduction to military history, but also contain a lot of details for history buffs. Since the aim is to keep the episodes short and comprehensive some details are often cut.

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» SOURCES «

Scholik, Nikolaus: Seemacht im 21. Jahrhundert – Handbuch & Lexikon

Ou, Si-Fu: China’s A2AD and Its Geographic Perspective

Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI): "The PLA Navy - New Capabilites and Missions for the 21st Century" , 2015

Bernard D. Cole: Reflections on China’s Maritime Strategy: Island Chains and the Classics

NAVAL WAR COLLEGE REVIEW, Spring 2008, Volume 61, Number 2

FUELLING THE DRAGON - Natural resources and China’s development, Australian Strategic Policy Institute

US Navy: A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower

Department of Defense: Quadrennial Defense Review Report - 2006

Evans, Damon: China's Oil Imports Will Keep Surging, Rebalancing Global Markets; Forbes; Sep 14, 2016

Bloomberg News: China Crude Output Drops to 6-Year Low as Giants Shut Fields; September 13, 2016

Mazza, Michael: With Rodrigo Duterte In Power, What Hope Is There For U.S.-Philippines Relations?

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PowerPoint 2016, Word, Excel, Tile Mill, QGIS, Processing 3, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Premiere, Adobe Audition, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Animate.

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[Jonathan-kybi]

The Zumwalts are no longer and have not been for about 5 years intended to replace the Arleigh Burke Class. Only three ships are planned, the Zumwalt, Michael Monsor, and Lyndon B. Johnson. The production of the Arleigh Burkes was restarted a few years ago with the reduction of the Zumwalt order to three ships. The USN expects to have a request for proposals for a Frigate out to industry by the start of the next fiscal year. The LCS (littoral combat ship) is a US Navy vessel and not a US Coast Guard Vessel, the USCG itself is going through a modernization as well. I can get sources for all of this and more however it will take me time to go through all of the recorded House Armed Services Committee hearings to get you the links in addition to the time stamps.

[free_at_last]

So the People's Liberation Army has a Navy...I wonder if that was their PLAN all along.

[AlRoderick]

So what do we call the Chinese Marine corps air wing? The People's Liberation Army Navy's Army's Air Force?

[blueband]

Alas the size of these fleets, we British used to have. Now with have a fishing trawler with a deck mounted percussion shotgun.

[ImperialGeneral]

Very good video, with only some minor errors that were pointed out in your pinned comment. Speaking as a US Navy Officer, this is probably something I'd show new Junior Officers to give them some easily digestible background on China. Keep up the good work!

[casvalremdeikun]

I have several comments to make:
- You seem to be ignoring the US Marines and their ships including the America class carriers. The US Marines have 1x America class and 8x Wasp class carriers. The US has more carriers than just the Nimitzes and the Ford.
- The Zumwalt will not replace the Burke class since only 3 ships are going to be constructed. The other planned ships were cancelled. Also the size of the Zumwalt is much larger than the size of a Burke class and more comparable to the size of the Ticonderoga class.
- Since you mentioned the US ships it would be worthwhile to mention the comparable Chinese ships. Namely the Type 056, 054A, 052D, 055, etc.
- The PLAN, besides the ships, have their own land based Air Force arm. The PLANAF has like (710+ aircraft) to defend the Chinese coastline including their own land bases.
- The Chinese already have ressuply vessels and most of the ships needed to have one full carrier wing. Though this wing would have less tonnage than the US equivalent with the same amount of ships.
- The Chinese are attempting to bypass the choke points of the Taiwan Strait and Malacca Strait with massive infrastructure investments in pipelines and land routes through Myanmar and Pakistan as part as the OBOR initiative.

[tallyk]

'Thank you for watching, and South China Sea you next time.'

I love these very cheeky puns that are hidden in your videos.

[cruiserflyer]

I love the XP +100 and +50 game reference. Great video as always. I am proud to be a Patreon supporter.

[RCAvhstape]

I love that you included the Constitution in the Atlantic fleet. Never underestimate her if you know what's good for you.

[nobodyknowsimgay]

I absolutely love your videos. My dad and I both watch these and when I get to see him every so often we enjoy talking about them. Please keep up the awesome work!

[CinnamonMuffinz]

love these contemporary military strategy vids!

"1 Carrier = No operational Carrier"
That's French Navy Naval Air Capacities in a nutshell
It may be cool to have the only nuclear CATOBAR operated outside the US, and the Charles de Gaulle has proved its combat capacities many times, but maintenance is a pain in the back. A second carrier has been projected many times, but nothing has been decided so far.

[CestSam]

The USS Consitution is the pride of our eastern fleet. It is invincible, it strikes fear in our enemies.

[carloscampo]

Now this is an impressive, impressive video. Thank you very much.

[joaquinmig]

This was one of your best videos yet, my friend :)

[logoseven]

One of your best. The missions of the navies are vastly different. The USA looks at the entire world to project its power, China, as you showed, is much more limited. Nice job.

[arcadiecondurachi]

Based of what I know at the moment, the main strategy of the PLAN is to make a potential US attack way too costly to be considered, and secondly, prevent a naval blockade. Therefore, their main job is to maintain a force that would simply discourage any hostility.

[mikhailvtv]

As per usual your work is of 'top notch'- quality.

[cee]

Love this Channel . . . Thank you so much for your time and effort !

[steve]

As a part of comparing the navies, you should look at naval aircraft. For instance, the US Navy by itself is the 3rd largest air force on the planet, with only the US Air Force and Chinese Air Force being larger. Then when you add the Marine aircraft (all deployable on navy ships), the amount of aircraft that the US Navy can bring to bear is second only to the USAF.