Ghost of a flea: War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who's left.

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December 27, 2008

War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who's left.

A great catch by Feng at Information Dissemination. The Peoples Liberation Army Navy has not sent just any ships against the pirates; China has sent two of its most advanced destroyers.

The fleet that China is sending to Somalia looks to be far more formidable than orignally thought. It will be sending ships 169, 171 and 887 there from the Sanya sea base. For those who don't know, 169 is one of the two 052B class destroyers in service with SSF, 171 is the latter construct of the 052C class (making it possibly the most advanced destroyer currently in service with PLAN) and 887 is one of the new generation replenishment ship just joined SSF in the past 3 years. And the Sanya base is the one that was reported with alarm as the home of China's new SSBNs.

More on the 052B class destroyers and type 052C class destroyer; the latter is an ever so slightly more recent vessel built for a fleet air defence role around the same hull as the type B. The Chinese are using this deployment to make a point. I hope the Somalis are about to open a fortune cookie that says "Man who run in front of car get tired."

Posted by Ghost of a flea at December 27, 2008 07:47 AM

Comments

One is inclined to dust off Alfred Thayer Mahan and learn again the utility of navies - the Chinese seemed to have done so.

Posted by: junior at December 27, 2008 11:19 AM