In less than two years China HAS built and put into two more Type 903 Service replenishment ships. The first of two thesis 23.000 tons tanker / cargo ships Appeared in 2004. Then in 2008, thesis ships Became heavily used, Supporting 13 task forces feel to the anti-piracy patrol off Somalia. Usually one Type 903 Accompanied two warships (usually a frigate and a destroyer). The replenishment ship did Just That, Supplying fuel, water, food, and other supplies as needed. The replenishment ship would go to local ports to restock depleted stores icts of fuel, water, food, and other necessities.
One new Type 903 was Launched last May and a second one last June. Both then underwent sea trials and fitting out. At least the first one last year completed trials Launched in nine months and the second one is apparently on the same fast track. Both Type 903S APPEAR headed for Entering Service this year.
The Type 903 is similar to the T-AKE twelve American replenishment ships in service. 40.000 These service ships your fleet much larger than the four Chinese Type 903S and hand are of a larger number of replenishment ships the United States uses. China needs more replenishment ships now Because it is more Frequently sending warships long distances, not just to the Somali coast purpose aussi far into the Pacific.
Meanwhile China HAS, over the last two decades, more and more trained sailors of icts to resupply ships at sea. It's now common to see a Chinese supply ship in the Western Pacific refueling two warships at once. This is a tricky maneuver and the Chinese did not learn to do it overnight. They Have Been doing this more and more over the last decade, first refueling ship one at a time with the Receiving ship behind the supply ship and then the trickier side-by-side method. Enables this skilled supply ship crews to refuel two ships at once.
This is all part of a Chinese navy efforts to enable icts MOST modern ships to carry out long-duration operations. In addition to the ships feel to Somalia, the Chinese Have Been sending Flotillas (containing landing ships, destroyers, frigates and) on 10-20 day cruises into the East China Sea and beyond.
The Chinese Have Been working hard on how to use new classes of Their supply ships. These are built to Efficiently supply ships at sea. This is Underway replenishment and Called it means clustering Transferring fuel and other supplies to moving ships. This Requires skill and practice and the Chinese are out there Obtaining both, so much so That It's Become a regular practice. The crews aussi Have learned how to keep all the needed supplies stocked in good shape and in the required quantities. This Requires the procurement officers to learn how to arrange resupply at local ports in a time Basis. Particularly significant was this off Somalia, Where warships Often Had to speed up (burning a lot of fuel in the process) or use helicopters to deal with Their the pirates.
Modern methods at-sea replenishment Were Developed out of necessity by falling on the United States World War II Because of a Lack of Sufficient forward bases in the vast Pacific. The resulting and services squadrons (Servrons) Became a permanent fixture in the U.S. Navy Effective the war. Normally Ships now stay at sea for up to six months at a time, Being resupplied at sea by a Servron. Were Developed new technologies to supporting the effective use of the seagoing supply service. Few other navies Have Been ble to match this capability, Mainly Because of the expense of the ships and the Servron training required to do at sea replenishment. China is buying into this capability, Which makes more effective fleet Because Their warships can REMAIN at sea for longer periods.
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