Shichang is a training ship in the People's Republic of China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The ship is formally designated as a "defence mobilization vessel" and may be used for helicopter or navigation training, as a container ship, or as a hospital ship. It is the PLAN's first aviation training ship.[1] The NATO reporting name for the type is Daishi-class AXT.[2]

History
People's Republic of China
NameShichang
BuilderQiuxin Shipyard[1]
LaunchedApril 1996[1]
Commissioned27 January 1997[1]
IdentificationHull number: 82[1]
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeTraining ship[1]
Displacement10,160 tonnes (full load)[1]
Length120 metres (390 ft)[1]
Beam18 metres (59 ft)[1]
Draught7 metres (23 ft)[1]
Propulsion
  • 2 x diesel engines;[1]
  • 2 shafts[1]
Speed17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph)[1]
Range8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)[1]
Capacity300 containers[1]
Complement
  • 170 crew;[1] and
  • 200 trainees[1]
Aircraft carried2 x Harbin Z-9A[1]
Aviation facilitiesFlight deck[1]

Design

edit

The original plan was to convert Shichang from the civilian roll-on/roll-off ship Huayuankou; a new ship was built instead.[3]

Shichang has a bridge structure forward with the flight deck occupying most of the remaining area behind it; the funnel is toward the stern on the starboard side. The flight deck has two landing spots and may be reconfigured;[1] options include a modular hangar and control space behind the forward structure, or 300 standard 20-foot containers.[3]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Saunders 2015, p. 159.
  2. ^ United States Navy Office of Naval Intelligence (19 February 2020). PLA Navy Identification Guide (Report). Archived from the original on 27 February 2020. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
  3. ^ a b Wertheim 2013, pp. 136–137.

Sources

edit
  • Saunders, Stephan, ed. (2015). Jane's Fighting Ships 2015-2016. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0710631435.
  • Wertheim, Eric (2013). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (16 ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1591149545.