South China Sea Exercises

Charging Through the Waves! A Frigate Flotilla of the Southern Theater Command Navy Conducts Combat-Realistic Training

踏浪出击！南部战区海军某护卫舰支队开展实战化训练

PLA Daily (解放军报) 12 June 2026

Summary

A frigate flotilla of the Southern Theater Command Navy conducted multi-vessel, round-the-clock combat-realistic training at an unspecified sea area, drilling main gun fire strikes against surface targets, chaff/decoy air defense responses, joint search and rescue, underway replenishment, and damage control. The article documents a full-spectrum formation proficiency exercise rather than a single-mission drill, which fits the Southern Theater Command's sustained pattern of integrating surface combatant coordination and logistics sustainment into the same training event — a direct response to identified weaknesses in element coordination (要素协同) under combined-arms pressure. The inclusion of underway replenishment and damage control alongside offensive fire drills extends the record of how this flotilla is building endurance and survivability for sustained maritime operations, not just strike sorties.

Translation

Vessels underway. Recently, a frigate flotilla of the Southern Theater Command Navy organized a multi-vessel formation and proceeded to a certain sea area to conduct round-the-clock combat-realistic training.

Main gun firing. "Enemy vessels are active in the sea area ahead…" Upon receiving the report, the vessel formation rapidly shifted to a combat footing. After detecting the "enemy" vessels at sea, the formation moved at high speed to seize advantageous firing positions and launched fire strikes, with multiple salvos of shells screaming out and striking sea targets with precision.

Firing chaff/decoy rounds. Before the smoke had cleared, the vessel formation came under sudden attack by "enemy" air forces. The formation commander rapidly assessed the "battlefield" situation; each vessel reacted swiftly, firing chaff/decoy rounds and completing air defense.

This maritime formation training was driven by the imperative to accomplish assigned missions and tasks, and conducted full-process, all-element drills centered on subjects including joint search and rescue and underway replenishment, comprehensively testing the formation's combat capabilities in element coordination (要素协同), fire strikes, and rapid response.

Breaking through the waves.

Rapid maneuver.

Small craft sortie to support damage control aboard another vessel.

Joint search and rescue training.

Replenishment training.

Lowering small craft to conduct training.

Multiple vessel types conducting joint training.

Original Chinese

舰艇航行。近日，南部战区海军某护卫舰支队组织多舰艇编队，赴某海域开展跨昼夜实战化训练。主炮射击。 “前方海区有‘敌’舰艇活动……”接到通报，舰艇编队迅速转入战斗状态。侦搜到海上“敌”舰后，编队高速抢占有利射击阵位展开火力打击，多组炮弹呼啸而出，精准命中海上目标。发射干扰弹。硝烟未散，舰艇编队突遭“敌”空中力量袭击，编队指挥员快速研判“战场”态势，各舰艇迅速反应发射干扰弹，完成对空防御。此次海上编队训练以遂行使命任务为牵引，围绕联合搜救、航行补给等课目展开全流程、全要素演练，全面检验了舰艇编队在要素协同、火力打击和快速反应等方面的实战能力。破浪前行。快速机动。小艇出击支援他舰损管。联合搜救训练。补给训练。吊放小艇开展训练。多型舰艇开展联合训练。