<p> Displaying a sense of urgency, Chinese navy has commissioned three new stealth landing ships on a single day for the first time amid escalating tensions with the US in the disputed South China Sea.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned CNS Wuyishan, CNS Culaishan and CNS Wutaishan, having improved amphibious capabilities, official media here quoted PLAN's statement.<br /><br />They were delivered to the East Sea Fleet at an unidentified naval port on Monday.<br />The ships have a displacement of 5,008 metric tonnes and a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h).<br /><br />Compared with predecessors, the new design has a lower radar signature, which makes it harder to detect it at sea, and a streamlined design that helps speed up the loading of amphibious vehicles.<br /><br />The ships are armed with close-in weapons systems capable of hitting mid- and short-range targets, and include a flight pad that can accommodate a helicopter, state-run China Daily reported.<br /><br />The ships will strengthen the Navy's capabilities in joint landing operations and transportation, the statement said.<br /><br />According to IHS Jane's Navy International, the new-type vessel is able to transport 10 armoured vehicles and 250 fully armed troops, which means that three ships can ferry roughly an entire amphibious assault battalion.<br /><br />This is the first-time the PLAN has commisioned three ships in a single day, the report said.<br /><br />At least 100 new ships and submarines have joined the Navy since 2012, including an aircraft carrier, three Type-052D guided missile destroyers that have cutting-edge air defence abilities, 13 Type-054A large multi-role frigates and four Type-903A supply ships as China braced for a showdown with the US in the South China Sea to assert its sovereignty in the area.<br /><br />Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines contest China's claims of sovereignty on all most all of the South China Sea.<br /><br />In February, the Chinese Navy commissioned the CNS Xiangtan, a Type-054A frigate, the CNS Tongren, a Type-056A corvette and the CNS Yimengshan, a Type-071 amphibious transport dock.<br /><br />However, much of the Navy's new equipment is still not as good as that of their counterparts in the United States Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the report quoted a PLA officer as saying.<br /><br />"There are a great number of things that we need to catch up on - for instance, the technological level of ships and submarines as well as our crew's skills and experience," he said.</p>
<p> Displaying a sense of urgency, Chinese navy has commissioned three new stealth landing ships on a single day for the first time amid escalating tensions with the US in the disputed South China Sea.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned CNS Wuyishan, CNS Culaishan and CNS Wutaishan, having improved amphibious capabilities, official media here quoted PLAN's statement.<br /><br />They were delivered to the East Sea Fleet at an unidentified naval port on Monday.<br />The ships have a displacement of 5,008 metric tonnes and a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h).<br /><br />Compared with predecessors, the new design has a lower radar signature, which makes it harder to detect it at sea, and a streamlined design that helps speed up the loading of amphibious vehicles.<br /><br />The ships are armed with close-in weapons systems capable of hitting mid- and short-range targets, and include a flight pad that can accommodate a helicopter, state-run China Daily reported.<br /><br />The ships will strengthen the Navy's capabilities in joint landing operations and transportation, the statement said.<br /><br />According to IHS Jane's Navy International, the new-type vessel is able to transport 10 armoured vehicles and 250 fully armed troops, which means that three ships can ferry roughly an entire amphibious assault battalion.<br /><br />This is the first-time the PLAN has commisioned three ships in a single day, the report said.<br /><br />At least 100 new ships and submarines have joined the Navy since 2012, including an aircraft carrier, three Type-052D guided missile destroyers that have cutting-edge air defence abilities, 13 Type-054A large multi-role frigates and four Type-903A supply ships as China braced for a showdown with the US in the South China Sea to assert its sovereignty in the area.<br /><br />Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines contest China's claims of sovereignty on all most all of the South China Sea.<br /><br />In February, the Chinese Navy commissioned the CNS Xiangtan, a Type-054A frigate, the CNS Tongren, a Type-056A corvette and the CNS Yimengshan, a Type-071 amphibious transport dock.<br /><br />However, much of the Navy's new equipment is still not as good as that of their counterparts in the United States Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the report quoted a PLA officer as saying.<br /><br />"There are a great number of things that we need to catch up on - for instance, the technological level of ships and submarines as well as our crew's skills and experience," he said.</p>