PLAN SCS Bases/Islands/Vessels (Not a Strategy Page)

lcloo said:

I am surprise they do not deployment some good size boats (like 200 to 500 ton patrol boats) on permanent basis.

What will they do if they need to investigate something more than swimming distance away or rescure someone fallen into the sea and washed away or a fishing boat in distress?

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Just look how shallow the water is in places. I would also like to know if that aero shot was take during high or low tide. It could just be that the water is too shallow for patrol boats during low tide, and to station one there would cause it to beach half the time, which is not good.

What are those round buildings being used for now? They look a little run down, which is unusual for a PLA facility. If I was in charge, I would remove the round huts but unify and strengthen the support structures and connect it to the main facility with a ramp and make that into a helipad. That is the only thing obviously missing from that facility, and would be far more useful for either personnel transfer, resupply, medivac, evacuation and for investigating anything away from the base.

lcloo said:

I am surprise they do not deployment some good size boats (like 200 to 500 ton patrol boats) on permanent basis.

What will they do if they need to investigate something more than swimming distance away or rescure someone fallen into the sea and washed away or a fishing boat in distress?

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I'm guessing they have a Zodiac but responding to distress calls further out is probably delegated to the CG. Main responsibility is maintaining presence and they don't want a repeat of Southwest Cay.

plawolf said:

Just look how shallow the water is in places. I would also like to know if that aero shot was take during high or low tide. It could just be that the water is too shallow for patrol boats during low tide, and to station one there would cause it to beach half the time, which is not good.

What are those round buildings being used for now? They look a little run down, which is unusual for a PLA facility. If I was in charge, I would remove the round huts but unify and strengthen the support structures and connect it to the main facility with a ramp and make that into a helipad. That is the only thing obviously missing from that facility, and would be far more useful for either personnel transfer, resupply, medivac, evacuation and for investigating anything away from the base.

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According to the official literature, the garrison just left them around as an extra place to stretch their legs. There was also some prose of them planting things there in the 'gaojiaowu 高脚屋' but it isn't quite clear if they were referring to those in particular.

What are those round buildings being used for now? They look a little run down, which is unusual for a PLA facility. If I was in charge, I would remove the round huts but unify and strengthen the support structures and connect it to the main facility with a ramp and make that into a helipad. That is the only thing obviously missing from that facility, and would be far more useful for either personnel transfer, resupply, medivac, evacuation and for investigating anything away from the base.

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plawolf, those round buildings have fallen into disuse for many years as these pictures show:



I agree that the navy should turn it into a helipad. On the issue of there being no boat moored at the base, plawolf said the water is too shallow. But a satellite image shows a canal has been dredged so that at least part of the base is accessible by boat.

Jeff Head said:

And how would you like to be stationed here for a year:

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Hehehe...makes Diego Garcia look like paradise! Hope they get a little R&R on occasion ashore some place.

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At least there is space for shooting hoops.

When does the rest of that order of fake palm trees arrive?

plawolf said:

They look a little run down, which is unusual for a PLA facility. If I was in charge, I would remove the round huts but unify and strengthen the support structures and connect it to the main facility with a ramp and make that into a helipad. That is the only thing obviously missing from that facility, and would be far more useful for either personnel transfer, resupply, medivac, evacuation and for investigating anything away from the base.

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Great idea, I would suggest that the helipad structure be multi-platform, top deck being the helipad. A secondary pad beneath it could be used for additional floor space, maybe a small hydroponics to supplement the diet and provide additional diversions to kill time.

Come on, This is clearly not a meaningfully fortified strong point or significant supply depot. It is simply a small garrison barrack for at most a platoon, not even a company.

Those huts are obviously unconnected to the barrack. They look like pre-existing structures that happen to take advantage of the same patch of coral or rock outcropping just below the surface.

Hmmm. If they were to convert them into a helipad, they would have to demolish those structures in their entirety.

They are rusted through and completely useless. The supports are also gone.

If they were serious they would clear them out and drive concrete piles in till they had a strong enough foundation for the helipad.

Then they could build a larger and more robust structure.

Nice to see that they installed solar panels and a small wind turbine.

This would give them a certain degree of energy independence, without having to rely on just the diesel generator set.

The satellite dish also implies that they have some entertainment, quite necessary on a hardship posting like this.

I don't think they will ever put in the plastic palm trees, more likely is a hydroponics garden and fish farms and research stations, might as well make the place earn it's keep.

PanAsian said:

Can you please indicate which green vehicles you are referring to?

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Not vehicles, fuel tanks, POL depot

yes, thanks.
btw., anybody's google earth fan?
wouldn't it be great to have .kmz attachments at this forum to discuss and exchange?
moderators - is this possible?