Due to the rapid expansion of its submarine fleet, China's East Sea Fleet now has a shortage of submarine docks. At the base of the No. 42 Submarine Flotilla in Xiangshan, eight dock bridges have been built. Four of them are used to anchor Kilo 636s, and each can accommodate two Kilos.

Type 033 diesel submarines were also noticed earlier at this base, but it is likely they were only there for training purposes. Currently it seems there are only Kilos at this base. The facilities at the whole Xiangshan Base are quite new.

At present, the People's Liberation Army navy is armed with eight Kilo 636-Ms and two Kilo 636s, the two basic versions of Kilo submarines.

Another key base for the East Sea Fleet's surface battleships is in Shanghai. As is widely known, because of the rapid growth of a merchandise economy, the outside world knows a lot more about the Shanghai Navy Base than other bases of the PLA navy. This base is the home port of mainly Yuting and Yukan class landing ships and several Jianghu III FFGs. Kilos and surface warships also anchor at this base for maintenance servicing.

In addition to these naval base upgrades, a lot of resources have been invested in upgrading the Navy Aviation Force bases. As reported earlier, the 10th Regiment of the Navy Aviation Force's No. 4 Division was the first regiment to receive Su-30MK2 fighters. After the regiment was removed to Feidong Airport in Anhui province, new underground aircraft hangars were built, along with 24 link-structured hangars.

The 16th Regiment of the Navy Aviation Force's No. 6 Division, stationed at Dachang Airport near Shanghai, was the first naval aviation base to build reinforced aircraft hangars. Initially, eight twin-structured hangars were built and two more were added later, totaling 10 aircraft hangars. These hangars accommodate 20 JH-7 fighter-bombers. Now additional link-structured hangars have been built at the air base.

Major construction projects are also under way at the Ningbo Airport, not far from Daxie Island, where the 11th (or 12th) Regiment of the Navy Aviation Force's No. 4 Division is stationed. This airport may very likely receive new-generation fighter aircraft soon.

At Ningbo Airport, the priority seems to be fast-reaction capability. Three separate aircraft hangars have been built on each side of the runway to make it easier for the fighters to take off quickly. There are another 17 separate aircraft hangars of the same structure at the airport, for a total of 23 such hangars.

Before, mainly J-6 fighters were stationed at the airport, but now those fighters mostly have been retired. Yiwu, another base in Zhejiang, has been confirmed as the home base of the Navy Aviation Force's No. 6 Division, where 24 plus three link-structured aircraft hangars have been built. Deployed at this airport are JH-7s.

The Danyang Base of the Navy Aviation Force's No. 1 Division deserves close attention. Western intelligence sources claimed earlier that H-5 bombers were stationed at this airport, but now these bombers all have been replaced by H-6Ms, each of which is armed with four YJ8-3 anti-ship missiles.

In a future confrontation, Chinese bombers from this base could launch long-range attacks upon U.S. or Japanese fleets heading south, and surface warships of the Taiwanese navy, in the airspace above the East China Sea.

The airport also has undergone revamping, as more than 11 H-6M bombers are now located there. Similar to other air bases, impressive residences have been built for the commanding officers, indicating this division is being given priority attention.

An unconfirmed source has claimed the Navy Aviation Force's No. 1 Division had been dismantled and restructured into the No. 5 Independent Regiment. Judging from the fact that there are only 11 H-6M bombers at this airport, the unit stationed at this base is no more than regiment-level.

(Andrei Chang is editor in chief of Kanwa Defense Review Monthly, registered in Toronto.)