PLA Conducts Combat-Ready Training Assessment in the South China Sea

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command announced on social media on Thursday (February 12, 2026) that a naval flotilla under its jurisdiction recently deployed to a designated area in the South China Sea to conduct a full-subject combat readiness assessment aboard its vessels.

According to the description, the PLA Navy vessel Tongling sounded battle alarms upon receiving operational orders and rapidly navigated toward the target zone. En route, it encountered countermeasures from simulated hostile aerial forces. The crew swiftly initiated air defense procedures, deploying decoy projectiles to divert incoming enemy missiles.

The assessment simulated a low-altitude surprise attack by enemy aircraft. After identifying simulated hostile coastal targets, the Tongling fired multiple artillery rounds, successfully completing the shore strike mission.

The Southern Theater Command stated that over several days of maritime assessment, the flotilla also underwent evaluations covering multiple operational subjects, including surface warfare, underway replenishment, and boarding, search, and seizure operations. The comprehensive exercise was designed to rigorously test commanders' capabilities in battlefield situation analysis and on-the-spot decision-making, as well as personnel's practical response and handling abilities under realistic combat scenarios.