From Henri K Dual use submersible normally use to carry top side of drilling or production platform But can also be use to carry military ship or pallet
Three months after the commissioning of the second largest submersible in the world with a capacity of 98 000 deadweight tons, China added a few days ago a small displacing more than 50 000 tons Existing fleet of these giants of the sea.
The particularity of this
Zhenhua 33 is that it is dual-purpose, meaning that its design and construction take military standards into account, so that it can be used by the Chinese army if the need arises . It is also the largest Chinese civilian ship that meets military requirements.
According to the presentation, this semi-submersible, in "military" mode, can be used to repair and repatriate damaged warships, refuel the helicopters on its large bridge like a soccer field, or turn into a logistics center For ships that move up to 10,000 tons. These military uses are not limited only to the Chinese navy but also to other corps, such as the army, for example, during amphibious operations.
The
Zhenhua 33 measures 227 meters long and 43 meters wide, its main deck is 7,700 square meters. The semi-submersible is equipped with a total of six diesel generators, four of which are used for electric propulsion of the ship. It can reach a speed of 14 knots, and can maintain its position dynamically thanks to a DP2 control system. The ship's autonomy is 18,000 nautical miles.
Built by the Qidong Shipyard near Shanghai, the ship was put on the water on June 18, 2016 and completed all its sea trials on February 27, 2017. The total cycle, from design to entry into service , Lasted two years and three months.
Apart from this semi-submersible civil-military, the Chinese navy has already admitted to service another semi-submersible that is 100% for military use in July 2015.
The 886
Donghaidao is the first of its kind in China's naval forces and moves more than 20,000 tons. It has already been used to transport the Zubr
hovercraft, which makes it possible to extend the range of action of the latter.
The semi-submersible 868 Donghaidao of the Chinese Navy
The construction of this kind of auxiliary vessels gives an indirect glimpse of the extent of the expansion of the Chinese navy, which is no longer in doubt (see our dossier " " . In addition to counting how many more aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates have been built, it is equally interesting to monitor the gradual expansion of these support vessels, which play a vital role in the smooth operation of offshore operations. A navy.
To be continued.
Henri K.
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