PLAN Naval Helicopter & ASW Capability II

Jeff Head said:

Well, I have seen it both ways in the past...and that is what is perplexing.

For example, in a SCS Exercise in 2013, we saw this:

View attachment 23460

While in a picture from 2014, we saw this:

View attachment 23461

In May 2014, at a stop in India, we saw a crew strapping down its helo like this:

View attachment 23462

But then in September 2014, on another vessel...we see this:

View attachment 23463

I do note that the two pictures seen here with no gear, though at different times, were both for helo 9224.

I hope we see some continuity and standard procedures fro flight deck crews going forward. Maybe they haven't had all of the equipment available. Maybe different commanders have discretion...I just do not know.

But there has been a big difference from one crew/vessel to another, even in the last three years.

Click to expand...

Interesting, I don't recall these photos.

That said, I do believe that there are still a number of surface combatants, if not a majority of surface combatants which seem to lack head gear for their deck crew even while the helicopter is active, based on other videos and photos.

Jeff Head said:

Well, I have seen it both ways in the past...and that is what is perplexing.

For example, in a SCS Exercise in 2013, we saw this:

View attachment 23460

While in a picture from 2014, we saw this:

View attachment 23461

In May 2014, at a stop in India, we saw a crew strapping down its helo like this:

View attachment 23462

But then in September 2014, on another vessel...we see this:

View attachment 23463

I do note that the two pictures seen here with no gear, though at different times, were both for helo 9224.

I hope we see some continuity and standard procedures fro flight deck crews going forward. Maybe they haven't had all of the equipment available. Maybe different commanders have discretion...I just do not know.

But there has been a big difference from one crew/vessel to another, even in the last three years.

Click to expand...

As others have already noted, headgear are only worn when the rotor blades are spinning.

It was a very good observation, and the first thing I noticed. I just think they didn't take it a step further.

In my view, PLAN SOP is that headgear isn't required when preping a helicopter for take off, since the engines won't be started until all the tie down chains have been released, and the ground crew have retreated to a safe distance.

Headgear is a requirement when helicopters are coming in for landing, and the ground crews need to move in to secure it to the deck before the engines are shut down and rotor blades stop spinning.

I can kinda see the logic of such a system, although I would have preferred to just have a blanket rule that anyone on the flight deck needs a headgear full stop. Gets the crew into the habit without having to remember whether they need headgear or not for each and every time they go out.

NOT wearing proper equipment when on deck ... ...
These kind of sloppiness in terms of attitude is not conducive for producing QUALITY stuffs and producing high QUALITY performances.

I personally worry that -- this sloppiness attitude permeates to other sector, such as manufacturing Fighter Aircraft Engines.

One is #1 in terms of manufacturing speed by far,
but one is second or third class in terms of quality.

How can one beat the best if one is tending to be sloppy ??

TaiHang engine manufacturing for example.





Back to the topic of Naval Heli.

GreenestGDP said:

NOT wearing proper equipment when on deck ... ...
These kind of sloppiness in terms of attitude is not conducive for producing QUALITY stuffs and producing high QUALITY performances.

I personally worry that -- this sloppiness attitude permeates to other sector, such as manufacturing Fighter Aircraft Engines.

One is #1 in terms of manufacturing speed by far,
but one is second or third class in terms of quality.

How can one beat the best if one is tending to be sloppy ??

TaiHang engine manufacturing for example.


Back to the topic of Naval Heli.

Click to expand...

Not sure if we should call it sloppiness. There seems to be a pattern, for which they either wear helmets or not. It's more likely a protocol thing. This is especially the case since this is a PLAN photo op. These photos should not be some accidental shots. It was taken on deck and most likely by professional PLAN photographers. We know how particular the PLA likes their photos to be shown. They like to show how professional and how serious their soldiers/sailors are. Hence all the marching in formation and all. So all these photos about sailors not wearing helmets should most likely to a protocol thing, i.e these sailors were doing exactly according to protocol. And based on the discussion here, I am more of the opinion that they should change their protocol to require helmets on deck at all times.

I will venture a guess and say those sailors likely have their required gear with them when there will be any kind of flight operation. For deck duty in which there is currently no Helo inbound or where there are only pre-flight preparation during which no loud noise or spinning parts are to be exspected, they put their helmets somehwere close by. A place were they are easy to reach, won't make anybody trip, won't roll away, or fall down. Because after all it'll be more comfortable to do your job without a bowling ball on your head, restricting your field of view and making communication more difficult.

There comes a point were this "procedure to wear" becomes more tideous than operationally usefull. As is known to many in the Bundeswehr and probably in other militaries as well, "if you don't know anything, you know dress code."

If you can't trust your soldiers to be so self-aware as to put on protective gear once the loud salad shredder near you starts working, you probably shouldn't let them work on aircraft in the fist place.

PN Z9 landing on F573

PN and PLAN joint naval drills with 21st anti piracy mission

A Ka-31 mock up ...
Even more interesting is the new 5-digit serial number... which is confusing, since so far the Ka-31 has 9xx4-serials and were assigned to the 11. Regiment, 4. Naval Division ... this serial would hint it is assigned to the 3. Division (a former Bomber Division), which was abandoned since some time.

Deino

....

Hangar for 2 helos enough rare only 052 can host same number.

Don' t seems the main gun of 100 mm have changed.

Armament before :
• 16 YJ-83 anti-ship missiles
• 24 HQ-7 surface-to-air missiles (8 ready to fire + 16 reload)
• 1 dual 100mm gun
• 4 dual-37mm anti-aircraft guns
• 6 torpedo tubes
• 2 anti-submarine rocket systems
• 2 helicopters: (Kamov Ka-28 or Harbin Z-9C)

Dual helicopter hanger is a massive advantage it never losses it's ASW asset

Great new life to this DDG

This is what the naval business is about upgrading and overhauling existing older units to make them good enough to fight another day which could end up changing the balance and winning the war

A good example is the refloated repaired warships from pearl harbour which 3 years later got the chance to revenge the attack from 1941