China builds more armed coastguard ships
 

China builds more armed coastguard ships
Andrew Tate, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly - 01 November 2016
RE: http://www.janes.com/article/65089/c...astguard-ships

(Go to site for photo's)

Recent photographs of the Huangpu shipyard in Guangzhou show that a number of China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels are being constructed that will be armed with a 76 mm gun.

CCG vessels of the Type 818 (left) and Type 718B at the Huangpu shipyard. Recent photographs of the yard show that a number of CCG ships are being armed with a 76 mm gun. (fyjs.cn)
CCG vessels of the Type 818 (left) and Type 718B at the Huangpu shipyard. Recent photographs of the yard show that a number of CCG ships are being armed with a 76 mm gun. (fyjs.cn)

The construction of this new class of cutters, based on the design of the 3500-tonne Jiangkai II-class (Type 054A) frigate, was reported by IHS Jane's in June 2016. The first of the the Type 818 class (pennant number 46301) has now been fitted with a 76 mm PJ-26 main gun and work appears to be complete, suggesting it is likely to undertake sea trials shortly.

A second ship (pennant number 46302) is fitting out at Huangpu and recent photographs show that another of the class is being built at Wuchang Shuangliu: a facility on the banks of the Yangtze River developed since 2012.

Also pictured at Huangpu is the lead ship of the Type 718B class of coastguard cutters (pennant number 46111), which is also fitted with the 76 mm gun mounting. Chinese online media reports suggest this ship has recently undertaken sea trials, so it can be expected to enter service in the near future.

Huangpu is also building two more of this class: pennant numbers 45111 and 46112. In addition, a fourth vessel of the class is under construction at the Wuchang shipyard in Wuhan.

The Type 718B is assessed to have an overall length of 100 m, a beam of 16.5 m, and is estimated to displace a little under 2,000 tonnes.