The Type081 resembles a larger CSC RoRo Sprint.
The CG drawing is from the current issue of Jianchuan Zhishi (Naval and Merchant Ships) of a non-export Type081
Previous blog entry on the CSC RoRo "Spirit"
http://china-defense.blogspot.com/2009/07/cosco-china-ocean-shipping-company.html
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
The COSCO (China Ocean Shipping Company) “Spirit”
The first “China design and build” Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) vehicle carrier launched on June 24, 2009 at Zhoushan shipyard marking a major advance in China’s building capability.The COSCO (China Ocean Shipping Company) “Spirit” 中远盛世 has a fully loaded displacement of 14,500 tons, capable of carrying 5000 vehicles with a design speed of 20 knots. Its dimensions are: 182.8 meters in length, 32.2 meters in width and 34 meters high. It has a total of 9 stationary and 3 adjustable decks to accommodate vehicles of different heights. Just like other modern RoRo’s, the COSCO Spirit is fully automated and allows for single-crew-piloting.
COSCO cited the increase in automobile imports as the sole reason to build such a fleet and indeed in January, China surpassed the US as the world’s largest car market. (Here) But the RoRo carrier can press into military service and is generally considered a national security asset according to the August 2006 report “The Role of United States’ Commercial Shipping Industry in Military Sealift” presented by the US DOD due to its capability to load and offload large volumes of vehicles in repetition. US civilian RoRo fleets under the US Transportation Command were credited as a necessary strategic asset during the recent gulf war as cited by the same report.
The RoRo carrier also played an important support role for the Royal Navy during the 1982 Falklands War by ferrying 4000 troops to the remote island battlefield. Today one of the Royal Navy’s auxiliary training ships, the HMS Argus, was also converted to a RoRo carrier.
Additional RoRo carriers will augment the PLA’s transport capabilities especially in situations where large numbers of Armored Fighting Vehicles (AFV) are needed. At the same time, one must be careful not to view it as an amphibious asset for operations directed at “a run-a-way island,” err, I mean “an investment partner” as RoRo carriers require a secure and undamaged deep seaport in order to offload.
Photos of COSCO "Spirit" with primer gray and a top deck that can accommodate helicopter operations.
It looks similar to the French Navy's amphibious assault ship Mistral (L9013)
Previous RoRo with imported designs are painted red such as the smaller Changjilong which launched in Sept 08, 2008
Other RoRo currently in civilian service
CCTV Reported a military exercise involving Yue Hai Tie 2, a railroad car RoRo, pressed into military server in Hainan Island.
4 comments:
Its very clear that China has embarked on a serious build-up of their Naval forces. They have nothing close to the capabilities of the US, but they have a clear agenda to improve their attack capabilities.
That drawing of the Type 081, is that official, or is it Fanboy art?
First pic looks like it's from an 071 model rather than the LHD (check position of the landing circle) and the second pic is unrealistic fan art. Although there's a better looking one floating on the 081 thread, I'm surprised why that wasn't used instead.
The CG drawing is from the current issue of Jianchuan Zhishi (Naval and Merchant Ships) of a non-export Type081
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