Warships attached to a detachment affiliated with the navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command conduct multi-course combat exercise at an undisclosed area in the South China Sea in the winter of 2024. Photo: Screenshot from the official WeChat account of the PLA Southern Theater Command

Equipped with helicopters, hovercraft, and amphibious vehicles, a group of amphibious landing ships of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted a combat exercise in the South China Sea, the PLA Southern Theater Command revealed on Tuesday in an official WeChat report, highlighting the commissioning of new warships in recent years as part of its progress toward far seas operations.

A detachment of warships from the PLA Southern Theater Command conducted a multi-course combat drill in an undisclosed location in the South China Sea, according to a report published by the PLA Southern Theater Command’s official WeChat account on Tuesday.

During the drill, shipborne helicopters took off from flight decks, while air-cushioned landing craft and combat vehicles were deployed from the vessels’ stern doors and ramps, transporting combat forces to carry out multi-directional assaults on simulated enemy beachheads, according to the report.

With the addition of newly commissioned vessels, the detachment has continuously refined its combat readiness at the forefront of military operations, the PLA Southern Theater Command said, noting that the recent drill represents just a fraction of the detachment’s broader training regimen. 

Warships from this detachment have progressively transitioned from coastal operations to far seas missions as they honed combat skills through diverse missions, with the goal of establishing itself as a leading force in amphibious warfare, the report said.

Global Times