Learning the Ropes in Blue Water
By Andrew S. Erickson and Austin M. Strange
The Chinese navy’s Gulf of Aden deployments have borne worthwhile lessons in far-seas operations—lessons that go beyond the antipiracy mission.
December 2012 marked the fourth anniversary of China’s ongoing antipiracy mission in the Gulf of Aden. Over four-plus years, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has deployed 34 warships with 28 helicopters in 14 task forces, safely shepherding more than 5,000 commercial vessels and rescuing or assisting more than 50 of them across 500 escort trips. 1 Nearly 10,000 select personnel have sharpened their skills, improved coordination mechanisms, and tested new platforms and technologies.
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