China Coast Guard and Patrol vessels

PanAsian said:

Anyone know if these are the most heavily armed China Coast Guard ships after the large cutters with a main gun?

Speaking of which I expect 3901 will also be armed with a main gun?

Click to expand...

Yes, she will get the same gun, which I believe is a 76mm gun.

There are also two weapons/gun mounts on top of the helo hanger, at the aft end. One to port and one to starboard.

Those will either be a secondary gun of some type (like a 30mm auto-cannon), or some have suggested they might be 30mm CIWS.

We just do not know yet because 2901 has apparently not been outfitted with those weapons yet.

asif iqbal said:

You know I remember when the rumours first started that China will build 2 x 12,000 ton cutters and it was almost not believable

Waiting for ages and now we have them sailing in the water

Times change fast in China navy and coast guard

Click to expand...

Yes...we heard about them...then later saw the first one being built. Then the 2nd one being built. Then they were launched...and now both are sailing around.

TI am certain that these two 12k full load displacement cutters are the Chinese Coast Guard answer to the two very large Japanese Coast Guard cutters which each displace 9,300 tons full load.

Those are the Shikishima, PLH-31 and Akistushima, PLH-32.

Those vessels are armed with two 35mm aut5rcannons and two 20mm CIWS type gatling cannons. They also have a hanger for two helos.

Here is a good comparison of the vessels:

Chinese 12k displacement cutter pics, including hanger and pad (2901 and 3901)




Japanese 9.3k displacement cutter pics, including hanger and pad (PLH-31 and PLH-32)

Jeff Head said:

Yes...we heard about them...then later saw the first one being built. Then the 2nd one being built. Then they were launched...and now both are sailing around.

TI am certain that these two 12k full load displacement cutters are the Chinese Coast Guard answer to the two very large Japanese Coast Guard cutters which each displace 9,300 tons full load.

Those are the Shikishima, PLH-31 and Akistushima, PLH-32.

Those vessels are armed with two 35mm aut5rcannons and two 20mm CIWS type gatling cannons. They also have a hanger for two helos.

View attachment 21839

View attachment 21841

Click to expand...

I am disappointed to see these Chinese cutters only having a single hangar door. There may be room in that large single hangar for 2x Z-9 or even 1x Z-8, Z-9 each, but I was hoping they could handle 2x Z-8. Though large, this single hangar doesn't look large enough.

PanAsian said:

I am disappointed to see these Chinese cutters only having a single hangar door. There may be room in that large single hangar for 2x Z-9 or even 1x Z-8, Z-9 each, but I was hoping they could handle 2x Z-8. Though large, this single hangar doesn't look large enough.

Click to expand...

I too thought, early on, that they would have either two doors, or a larger door to accommodate two more easily.

On the other hand, I am interested in the inside dims3ensions...they still might be able to accommodate two.

Jeff Head said:

TI am certain that these two 12k full load displacement cutters are the Chinese Coast Guard answer to the two very large Japanese Coast Guard cutters which each displace 9,300 tons full load.

Click to expand...

The Japanese cutters have a specific task - convoying ships with nuclear fuel waste to Sellafield in England for reprocessing and carrying the Plutonium back. China has no such task so what is the purpose of these two monster cutters?

delft said:

The Japanese cutters have a specific task - convoying ships with nuclear fuel waste to Sellafield in England for reprocessing and carrying the Plutonium back. China has no such task so what is the purpose of these two monster cutters?

Click to expand...

Long endurance maritime security and law enforcement. Also to provide operational flexibility for evolving strategic needs.

delft said:

The Japanese cutters have a specific task - convoying ships with nuclear fuel waste to Sellafield in England for reprocessing and carrying the Plutonium back. China has no such task so what is the purpose of these two monster cutters?

Click to expand...

That is one of the tasks.

Clearly such long endurance cutters can and are used for other things as well.

Port security for example:



That's the Akistushima, PLH-32, in the background as the Izumo, DDH-183, comes into port.

EEZ patrol, National Security (in terms of Coast Guard duties), blue water SAR, etc. are all missions for the two Shikishima class cutters.

Would you just look at the size of the funnel on her...

Jeff Head said:

I too thought, early on, that they would have either two doors, or a larger door to accommodate two more easily.

On the other hand, I am interested in the inside dims3ensions...they still might be able to accommodate two.

Click to expand...

If you look at rear views of both ships, it is clear the hanger on the Chinese ship is wider, and its single door is at least 1.5X the size of one of the two doors on the Janpanese hanger.

I always prefer a single large hanger with a single large door than double hanger (or single large hanger) with two narrow doors. With one large door, it means the sizes of aircraft are not limited now or in the future.

by78 said:

Would you just look at the size of the funnel on her...

Click to expand...

A beautiful ship...very large with lots of room for growth.

These will be very capable and very long endurance vessels and will serve the PRCs growing needs to provide Coast Guard type services for its interests, not just near to China's costs, but near the coasts of any place she has interests.