www.China-Defense.com

While it possesses a nuclear ballistic missile submarine force and enjoys overwhelming numerical superiority over most potential adversaries, the number of large combatants is only about 50 and the bulk of the PLAN's (surface and subsurface) combatant force is of dated design and technically inferior to western designs. Its technology is more or less about 20 years behind the West according to Western sources. At the present time, the PLAN lacks a real power projection capability and is quite unable to conduct sustained naval operations due to inadequate fleet replenishment capabilities. It is generally limited to operating within range of friendly air cover as a majority of it large combatants lack area air defence systems. A similar deficiency exists in ASW capabilities. There's a general lack of organic fleet air assets with only a few ships being helo capable. There are no aircraft carriers, and amphibious lift capabilities are limited. As command and control is rigidly centralized, the PLAN, in general, cannot operate in a network centric battlespace with rapidly evolving battles as IW warfare capabilities and C4ISR assets are quite limited. RMA concepts such as Joint force operations, integrated logistics, and systems integration remain a challenge. Training and maintainability standards also appear to be low.