class
Class, Classes, or The Class may refer to:
Common uses not otherwise categorized
* Class (biology), a taxonomic rank
* Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects
* Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used d ...
of
auxiliary ship
An auxiliary ship is a naval ship designed to support combatant ships and other naval operations. Auxiliary ships are not primary combatant vessels, though they may have some limited combat capacity, usually for purposes of self-defense.
Auxili ...
in
People's Republic of China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
's
People's Liberation Army Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy, also known as the People's Navy, PLA Navy or simply Chinese Navy, is the naval warfare military branch, branch of the People's Liberation Army, the national military of the People's Republic of China. It i ...
(PLAN). They are used by the
Chinese aircraft carrier programme
, the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has two active carriers, the and , with the third, , currently undergoing sea trials. A fourth carrier, currently called " Type 004" and featuring nuclear propulsion, has been under constructi ...
to support
sea trial
A sea trial or trial trip is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on op ...
s, and to provide berthing, logistical support and training. The ships are classed as "comprehensive support ships" in Chinese.
The first entered service in 2011 in support of the ''Liaoning'' aircraft carrier.
Design
According to publicly released information, the ''Daguan''-class ships are approximately 196 meters long, with a beam of 28 meters. Capable of accommodating roughly 2,500 sailors, aircrew, technicians, and other carrier personnel, each ship has an endurance of up to 30 days. The ships are capable of a max speed of 18 knots. They have a range of 8,000 nautical miles. Each ship has a medium helicopter deck on its stern, which can accommodate one
Changhe Z-8
Changhe, officially Jiangxi Changhe Automobile Co Ltd, was a Chinese automobile manufacturer based in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, China.
The ships are armed with two sets of Type 81 rocket launchers, which can fire
anti-submarine missile
An anti-submarine missile is a standoff missile, standoff anti-submarine weapon, often a specialized variant of anti-ship missile. Anti-submarine missiles usually include a jet engine, jet or rocket engine, rocket engine and a warhead aimed di ...
s. They are armed with an additional two sets of 57 mm twin-barreled guns and two sets of 30 mm twin-barreled autocannons.
The ships are outfitted with additional accommodations for the crew, including internet cafes, coffee shops, a supermarket, a running track, a basketball court on the deck, a gym and a Sanda ring. The ships are sometimes called the "nannies" of aircraft carriers. To fulfill its training role, ''Xu Xiake'' is also equipped with simulators of various equipment onboard the ''Liaoning''.
Operational history
The ''Daguan''-class ships provide support for China's growing fleet of aircraft carriers and are also used as training ships. They also provide living accommodations for the personnel of aircraft carriers when the carriers undergo maintenance, upgrades or overhauls. The first ship of the class, ''Xu Xiake'' accompanied ''Liaoning'' on sea trials. ''Xu Xiake'' provided at-sea training and R&R facilities for crew-members of the ''Liaoning''.
On August 27, 2014, ''Xu Xiake'' sailed in a group with the corvette ''Datong'', frigate ''Yancheng'', and frigate ''Linyi'' to
Liugong Island
Liugong Island ( zh, s=, t=, p=Liúgōng Dǎo, w=Liu-kung Tao) is a small island located on the northeastern edge of Shandong Peninsula, China, at the mouth of Weihai Bay. It is known as the "birthplace of China's first modern navy" and is also ...
at the mouth of Weihai bay. The ships held a memorial ceremony to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 189417 April 1895), or the First China–Japan War, was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over influence in Joseon, Korea. In Chinese it is commonly known as th ...
.
In 2018, the second ship of the class ''Li Daoyuan'' supported China's second aircraft carrier ''
Shandong
Shandong is a coastal Provinces of China, province in East China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It has served as a pivotal cultural ...
'' when it began its sea trials. In March 2023, ''a Daguan-''class ship was berthed with China's first indigenously designed carrier ''
Fujian
Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...
'' in
Jiangnan Shipyard
Jiangnan Shipyard ( zh, c=江南造船厂, p=Jiāngnán Zàochuán Chǎng) is a historic shipyard in Shanghai, China. The shipyard has been state-owned since its founding in 1865 and is now operated as Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Co. Ltd.
Befo ...
. The simulators onboard the ''Daguan-''class were likely upgraded for the more advanced
CATOBAR
CATOBAR (catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery or catapult-assisted take-off barrier arrested recovery) is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier. Under this technique, aircraft laun ...