31 December 2015

China Commissions New Spy Ship

December 29, 2015, China commissions three vessels into South Sea Fleet
Ridzwan Rahmat
IHS Jane’s Navy International, December 29, 2015




China’s third Dongdiao-class intelligence gathering vessel, Neptune (852), was commissioned into the PLAN’s South Sea Fleet on 26 December 2015. Source: via PLA Daily
Key Points
China has commissioned its third Dongdiao-class general intelligence vessel
The vessel will bolster the service’s intelligence gathering and surveillance capabilities

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned three vessels, including a Dongdiao-class (Type 815) auxiliary general intelligence (AGI) ship, into its South Sea Fleet, the semi-official PLA Daily reported on 28 December.

The vessels were commissioned in a ceremony held at an unspecified naval port, said to be in the South China Sea, on 26 December.

The Dongdiao-class vessel (which PLA Daily refers to as the ‘Type 815G’) has been named Neptune and given the pennant number 852. IHS Jane’s reported in April 2014 that the vessel was launched at the Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding Group’s yard in Shanghai in March the same year.

Neptune is the third known Dongdiao-class vessel in service with the PLAN. First-of-class Beijixing (851) is based in the service’s East Sea Fleet while second ship Tianwangxing (853) is also based in the South Sea Fleet.

According to IHS Jane’s Fighting Ships , the 6,096-tonne platform has an overall length of 130 m, an overall beam of 16.4 m, and a hull draught of 6.5 m. The ship has a top speed of 20 kt and can carry a crew of 250 and one medium helicopter. The Dongdiao-class is armed with one 37 mm and two 14.5 mm guns.

Two other ships that were inducted on the same day are a supply ship and a survey vessel that have been referred to by the PLA Daily as the 'Type 904B’ Luguhu (962) and the 'Type 636A’ Qian Xuesen (873).

The commissioning of Neptune will further bolster the PLAN’s intelligence collection and missile range instrumentation capabilities. Recent developments suggest that Beijing is stepping up its naval intelligence gathering operations.

A Dongdiao-class ship was detected in waters off Guam in September 2014 during a biennial US military exercise.

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