MwRYum
Major
Testing A New "toy."
The platform is wide enough for Z-9 to land and clearance is adequate for something in the size Z-8 to hover.
Speculation and facts on future Chinese vessels
- Thread starter SinoSoldier
- Start date
The platform is wide enough for Z-9 to land and clearance is adequate for something in the size Z-8 to hover.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
Did anyone manage to get some length estimates of this thing?
But even just going by eye, that space looks far larger than is necessary for a helo, even a large one like the Z8 to land on. To set aside so much space on such a small ship for a helo pad seems very very strange.
Now, I know this looks like a baby Littoral Combat ship (LCS) from this angle, but without the hanger space and number of levels for other equipment, such a massive helo pad as a percentage of the total ship just doesn't make a lot of sense.
My gut says that we are not looking at a helo pad, well, it can obviously serve as a helo pad, but that is not all it was intended for.
I wonder if this could be the PLAN's first stab at a ship with dedicated mission modules. Just look at that door in the middle of the superstructure that opens out into nothing above the little module. It just looks like something is missing or yet to be added. But this thing shouldn't be running off on its own if the shipyard is not done with it yet, so the most logical explanation I can think of right now is that there are other parts yet to be added that will not be built in, hence the idea about mission modules.
But even just going by eye, that space looks far larger than is necessary for a helo, even a large one like the Z8 to land on. To set aside so much space on such a small ship for a helo pad seems very very strange.
Now, I know this looks like a baby Littoral Combat ship (LCS) from this angle, but without the hanger space and number of levels for other equipment, such a massive helo pad as a percentage of the total ship just doesn't make a lot of sense.
My gut says that we are not looking at a helo pad, well, it can obviously serve as a helo pad, but that is not all it was intended for.
I wonder if this could be the PLAN's first stab at a ship with dedicated mission modules. Just look at that door in the middle of the superstructure that opens out into nothing above the little module. It just looks like something is missing or yet to be added. But this thing shouldn't be running off on its own if the shipyard is not done with it yet, so the most logical explanation I can think of right now is that there are other parts yet to be added that will not be built in, hence the idea about mission modules.
MwRYum
Major
Ａccording to a newspaper bit somebody posted earlier, this is a SAR boat design with helicopter operation capability, so a large heli deck would be a sensible one.
Of course, that article also indicate it has potential for other roles, combat ones specifically, but that was not in the official announcement part, so don't take it full for now.
MwRYum
Major
By the looks of it they can pack 6 cruise missile containers on that deck, but I said that just to give an estimate of the deck space, nothing more. Besides, by today's standard, the hull design looks very cluttered so it's clearly a concept-proving build primary the hull and exploring the possibility with such a design.
MwRYum
Major
Definitely not PLAN vessel because Chinese don't put English characters in their ship number; however the hull color indicates it should be somebody's navy vessel, and the WIP seen onboard as well as the hull condition near the waterline lean more on refitting.
Originally I thought this is one of the 053 Class FFG but checked out none of its foreign users number their ship this way either.
Originally I thought this is one of the 053 Class FFG but checked out none of its foreign users number their ship this way either.
I just found out that it has been discussed before here: (I didn't check all the threads)
http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/str...xports-other-countries-6-4484.html#post166839
"These are apparently photos of a 2500 ton patrol ship exported to Namibia."
http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/str...xports-other-countries-6-4484.html#post166839
"These are apparently photos of a 2500 ton patrol ship exported to Namibia."
franco-russe
Senior Member
It may be added, if it has not already been posted, that the ship is built at Wuhan (they should not waste their time on such things, they should be building submarines).