BEIJING, May 7 -- Several ship formations of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy carried out high-intensity combat training exercises in waters of the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea respectively, in a bid to test the coordination among vessels.
In the Yellow Sea, a naval task group consisting of frigates Wuhai (Hull 540) and Pingdingshan (Hull 602) from a naval frigate flotilla under the PLA Northern Theater Command carried out a 5-day round-the-clock drill.
The radar of frigate Wuhai captured the onshore target of the "enemy". The two frigates took their positions for main gun strike at the same time and accurately destroyed the mock target with continuous strikes.
Subsequently, the frigate Pingdingshan detected the echo of an unknown underwater metal object with its sonar, and the ship immediately adjusted its attack position and successfully intercepted the torpedo.
In the waters of the South China Sea, the task group consisting of frigates Mianyang (Hull 528), Luoyang (Hull 527) and Liupanshui (Hull 514) from a naval flotilla under the PLA Southern Theater Command encountered airborne "enemies" upon its arrival at the training area.
The commander determined the strike plan according to the on-site situation.
Frigates Luoyang and Mianyang formed an air defense formation and successfully destroyed the mock target with their close-in weapon systems.
After that, the frigate Mianyang received an order given by the exercise directing group to rescue the "drowning personnel". The warship adjusted its course and speed in real-time according to maritime conditions, formulated a life-saving plan, and successfully carried out the rescue.
During the training exercise, the vessels successively completed subjects including independent searching of in-coming missile attack, air defense and anti-missile operations, in which the warships' combat training results got tested.
In the East China Sea, a naval task group consisting of destroyer Zibo (Hull 156), destroyer Ji'nan (Hull 105), frigates Binzhou (Hull 515) and Anyang (Hull 599) from a destroyer flotilla under the PLA Eastern Theater Command encountered "enemy" just after leaving the foggy area.
Frigate Anyang detected the incoming "missile" attack with its radar firstly. Under the cover of smoke, the four vessels adjusted their courses in time, and fired their close-in weapon systems to intercept the incoming "target".
Soon after that, the anti-submarine control room of frigate Binzhou was suddenly "shot" and "caught fire". The damage control team rushed to the scene to rescue the "trapped personnel", put out the fire, and cooled the temperature.
During the three-day training exercise, the task group mainly practiced air defense and anti-missile defense, various fire support and long-range precision strikes.
