''Shichang'' is a
training ship in the
People's Republic of China's
People's Liberation Army Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN; ), also known as the People's Navy, Chinese Navy, or PLA Navy, is the maritime service branch of the People's Liberation Army.
The PLAN traces its lineage to naval units fighting during the Chinese ...
(PLAN). The ship is formally designated as a "defence mobilization vessel" and may be used for helicopter or navigation training, as a
container ship, or as a
hospital ship. It is the PLAN's first aviation training ship. The
NATO reporting name
NATO reporting names are code names for military equipment from Russia, China, and historically, the Eastern Bloc (Soviet Union and other nations of the Warsaw Pact). They provide unambiguous and easily understood English words in a uniform manne ...
for the type is ''Daishi''-class AXT.
Design
The original plan was to convert ''Shichang'' from the civilian
roll-on/roll-off ship ''Huayuankou''; a new ship was built instead.
''Shichang'' has a bridge structure forward with the flight deck occupying most of the remaining area behind it; the funnel is toward the stern on the starboard side. The flight deck has two landing spots and may be reconfigured; options include a modular hangar and control space behind the forward structure, or 300 standard 20-foot
containers.
See also
*
RFA ''Argus'' (A135), a
Royal Navy auxiliary with a similar configuration
References
Sources
*
*
Auxiliary ships of the People's Liberation Army Navy
Training ships of the People's Liberation Army Navy
1997 ships
Auxiliary training ship classes
zh:世昌号国防动员舰
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