What are these ships?

What is the use of such a ship compared to normal troop transport? There should be other use than just provide entertainment for the PLA (they don't essm to have much requirements anyway). Or does it allow them to not set foot on an actual country?

If the pics posted by assasinsmace on 16/08/10 are recent at that time,then how can this ship be finished so quickly? That is breathtaking progress in 6 weeks !!!

no_name said:

What is the use of such a ship compared to normal troop transport? There should be other use than just provide entertainment for the PLA (they don't essm to have much requirements anyway). Or does it allow them to not set foot on an actual country?

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The comments on your original post says its a RR boat to address crew fatigue.

In a hypothetical war situation in the central pacific involving naval forces for eg. While US forces have a few ports it could let its sailors off for a bit of RR and female company
eg Australia Tahiti(maybe) Singapore Hawaii. Chinese forces have no such luxury, hence this boat, but I wonder if there will be any ladies on board?

Personally I would rather have a few days off on dry land.

no_name said:

I think we have a possible answer:
....

PLAN's Life Style 88

“Assertive” has officially overtaken the word “harmony” as the most abused word in the China punditry circles. However, in light recent incidents, the PLAN has been less assertive in establishing an overseas naval base (Japan, on the other hand, has one in Djibouti).

To address crew fatigue from the long term Gulf of Aden deployment (and around Okinawa), the PLAN has launched the “Life Style 88” crew support ship. In addition to medical facilities, this luxury ocean liner will likely include the latest in Swiss Spa treatments for tired sailors. As is known, one cannot be successful in naval combat with dry facial skin!
....

What do you guys think is the implication of this? Apparently the PLAN have got money.

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In case of a conflict the ship could be used for troop transportation;

This is interesting.. some one in China's navy has figured out you cannot send sailors to sea for extended periods of time without a break. Moral gets very, very low.. There are ports that the Chinese could visit and I have read about the port calls of the Gulf of Aden force..usually Pakistan..not exactly the garden spot of the World.

The Chinese could visit Dubai & Singapore.

The Gulf of Aden flotilla recently visited Greece.



And the Hospital ship Peace Ark has visited Djibouti.

http://www.sinodefenceforum.com/wor...inese-military-photos-44-3488.html#post127136

While US forces have a few ports it could let its sailors off for a bit of RR and female company
eg Australia Tahiti(maybe) Singapore Hawaii.

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US forces in the Indian Ocean some times visit one or more of these ports during the deployment before transiting home. Bahrain, Dubai, Seychelles.

When transiting to and from home USN ships from the east coast usually visit at least one Mediterranean port before and after leaving the Gulf region.

As for the West coast ships Singapore, Aussie ports,Thailand, Japan and Guam are sometimes visited while in transit to and from the US.

I'm very surprise to see this naval ship, maybe it should be regarded as a cruise, it seems PLAN has a big plan for its future - A Blue Navy.

This ship is building by Guangzhou Shipyard International and this company has built Rederi AB Gotland Visby in 2003, so I guess this ship is based on Visby's model.