AN UPDATE ON THE UPGRADATION OF YUCHI NAVAL BASE

REAR ADMIRAL MONTY KHANNA (RETD) – ‘DABOLIM DIARIES’ ISSUE NO 25 DATED 24 JUN 2026

Yuchi Naval Base (35^o 43.’4 N, 119^o 58’.9 E) in Guzhen Bay is located about 50 km South West of Qingdao. It is the primary base of the Northern Theatre Navy (erstwhile North Sea Fleet) and is amongst the PLA Navy’s largest operating bases. It is home to China’s first aircraft carrier, Liaoning.

The image dated 03 Dec 2024 duly annotated and published in issue No 6 of Dabolim Diaries dated 05 Feb 2025 is the reference image of this base from which point developments are being examined.

Fig 1: PLA Yuchi Naval Base (Google Image dated 03 Dec 2024)

The most recent image of the base dated Jun 2026, albeit of poor resolution, shows substantial changes to the base. These changes are located in three areas (Site ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’) as seen in Fig 2.

Fig 2: New Construction Sites at Yuchi

 Site ‘A’

The two arms extending from the reclamation area on the inner side of the Eastern breakwater have reached a final length of 580 m.

Fig 3: Site ‘A’ Image dated Jul 2026

The space between the two arms is 71 m.

Fig 4: Image Depicting Spacing Between Arms at Site ‘A’

A detailed analysis of this facility was done in the No 15 of Dabolim Diaries where the three options considered of its purpose were a jetty for large vessels (based on the assumption that the space between the arms would be reclaimed), a dry dock, and a deperming range. The assessment made at that time was that the third option, i.e. a deperming range for aircraft carrier sized vessels was the most likely purpose. This assessment still seems to be the most likely at this stage. The only detractor to this assessment is that if the arms are to be fitted with poles at periodic intervals to support deperming equipment, as is the case with most such ranges (Fig 5) these could interfere with the sponsons of an aircraft carrier unless she was precisely kept in the center of the facility while being winched in/eased out. This task could, however, be made simple to execute by positioning pontoons on either side of the vessel thereby preventing proximity towards either of the arms.

Fig 5: Deperming Facility at Yulin Naval Base

 Site ‘B’

Site ‘B’ has two large jetties in the final stage of construction. The one to the West (Pier 8) is 735 m long and the other (Pier 9) is 1000 m long. A notable observation is that Pier 8 has ramps on either side of its root while Pier 9 has one on the Western side.

Fig 6: Site ‘B’ Image dated Jul 2026

Each of these ramps are roughly 40 m wide, much larger than the existing 18 m wide ramp at Pier 3 (Fig 7). These are likely to be used for stern embarkation by large amphibs such as the Type 071, 075 and 076. Given the number of ramps constructed, it is quite likely that this part of Yuchi naval base will be dedicated for expeditionary vessels. This will compliment similar facilities in Shanghai and Zhanjiang thereby giving each Theatre Navy a large expeditionary base of its own.

Fig 7: Existing Ramp at Berth No 3

 Site ‘C’

Large scale excavation along with the construction of a cofferdam is visible at this site. Its location (amidst the maintenance facilities at Yuchi), coupled with the nature of on-going work leads one to the assessment that this is a new drydock.

Fig 8: Site ‘C’ Image dated Jul 2026

While the exact dimensions are difficult to ascertain, its length will certainly exceed 300 m thereby making it aircraft carrier compatible. Till recently, aircraft carrier refits have been carried out at Dalian in the same drydock at which the Liaoning was refurbished and the Shandong was constructed. This changed with the commissioning of new maintenance facilities at Yulin naval base, Hainan in 2022. The Shandong is currently undergoing maintenance at this location.

Fig 9: Shandong in Drydock at Yulin Naval Base

Once the new drydock complex is completed at Yuchi, each of the aircraft carrier bases will have integral maintenance facilities for these vessels as well as large amphibs. This will free up Dalian which could focus on its core job of new construction.

The layout of the new drydock will interfere with the functioning of Drydock No 1 which will have to be deactivated and possibly filled to repurpose the land.

Fig 10: Rough Dimensions of New Drydock Complex at Site ‘C’

Assessment

It can be seen that as the PLA Navy grows in size, its basing infrastructure continues to keep pace if not precede the acquisition of assets. The pace at which China is able to execute large marine infrastructure projects is remarkable. Some of the notable features of the expansion at Yuchi naval base are as listed below: –

• Rather than invest in greenfield locations, the PLA Navy finds it better to expand facilities at existing bases. This trend is particularly noticeable at Yulin and Yuchi Baval Bases.
• The PLA Navy seems to be reducing its dependence on external/commercial yards for the refit of its ships. Yulin and Yuchi are both seeing significant augmentation of maintenance facilities. The only location where this trend is not as evident is Zhoushan, the primary base of the Eastern Theatre Navy.
• Insofar as expeditionary assets are concerned, the PLA Navy has largely preferred to have standalone bases. A brand-new base was built for the Eastern Theater Navy at Pudong New District on the southern bank of the Yangtse river. Even though at Zhanjiang, the Southern Theater Navy has mixed berthing, most of the jetties are primarily for serving expeditionary assets. The creation of facilities for expeditionary assets at Yuchi will be the first time that the PLA Navy has adopted the approach of augmenting an existing large base for stationing expeditionary vessels.