Type 815 spy ship

Last updated
History
Naval ensign of China.svg PRC
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeDongdiao I / II class
Type Spy ships (AGI)
Propulsion Marine Diesel
Sensors and
processing systems
Navigation radar
Electronic warfare
& decoys
None
ArmourNone
Aircraft carried1
Aviation facilities Helipad
Type 815 ship Beijixing (Polaris) PLANS Beijixing (AGI-851) 20120514.jpg
Type 815 ship Beijixing (Polaris)
Type 815G ship Tianlangxing (Sirius) PLANS Sirius (AGI-854) 20160216.jpg
Type 815G ship Tianlangxing (Sirius)

The Type 815, as well as its derivatives Type 815G and Type 815A, are Chinese electronic surveillance ships in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Type 815 spy ship has received NATO reporting name Dongdiao class (meaning East Investigation), while its successors Type 815G & 815A have received NATO reporting name Dongdiao II class. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Type 815

Type 815 was designed to be a follow-on for earlier Type 813, but the latter did not immediately retire after the former has been commissioned, and both types served together until Type 813 was finally retired from PLAN and transferred to Chinese Coast Guard and converted to PRCCGS # 3469 cutter. Type 815 was formerly named as Dong-Diao (东调, meaning "East Investigate") (Pennant #232), but subsequently, the name was changed to Polaris after new naming convention adopted by PLAN. After entering service in the latter half of 1999, the ship went through major upgrade several years later, with parabolic antennas replaced by three large radomes. In addition to collecting electronic intelligence, this class is also tasked to perform ballistic missile tracking. There is a hangar for a helicopter. Specification: [5]

Pennant #NameBuilderCommissionedStatusFleet
AGI-851 Beijixing (Polaris) Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding late 1999Active East Sea Fleet

Type 815G

In 2009 an improved version appeared, designated as Type 815G,[ citation needed ] and the most obvious external visual difference between Type 815G and earlier Type 815 is that the former has a different mast somewhat similar to a pagoda shape, and the sheer line is curved at a greater angle. [6]

Pennant #NameBuilderLaunchedCommissionedStatusFleet
AGI-853Tianwangxing (Uranus)Hudong,Shanghai1 December 20091 December 2010Active East Sea Fleet
AGI-854Tianlangxing (Sirius)Hudong,Shanghai29 March 201415 February 2015Active North Sea Fleet
AGI-855Tianshuxing (Dubhe)Hudong,Shanghai28 July 20141 August 2015Active South Sea Fleet
AGI-852Haiwangxing (Neptune)Hudong,Shanghai22 January 201526 December 2015Active South Sea Fleet

Type 815A

In January 2017, an improved Type 815G entered service with Chinese navy. Designated as Type 815A, [7] this further improved Type 815 can be visually distinguished from earlier Type 815G in the radome above the pilothouse: the radome of Type 815A is a cylinder with flat top surface, [8] while the top of cylinder radome of earlier Type 815G has a semi-sphere. [9]

Pennant #NameBuilderLaunchedCommissionedStatusFleet
AGI-856Kaiyangxing (Mizar) Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 8 June 201610 January 2017Active North Sea Fleet
AGI-857Tianquanxing (Megrez) Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 14 February 20172017Active South Sea Fleet
AGI-858Yuhengxing (Alioth) Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 8 September 20172018Active East Sea Fleet
AGI-859Jinxing (Venus) Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 3 February 20182018Active North Sea Fleet

Operations

The Type 815 is the most common spy ship deployed off the Taiwan Strait. [10] Beginning in 2017, at least one Type 815G ship has been used to monitor each of the biennial Talisman Saber military exercises in northern Australia; in 2021, two such vessels, the Tianwangxing and Haiwangxing, were deployed. [11] [12] [13] [14] [15]

In May 2022 the Haiwangxing conducted surveillance operations from Australia’s waters in the Northwest, coming at one point within 50 nautical miles of the Harold E Holt naval communications station in what the Australian defence minister said was an “an act of aggression” [16] [17]

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References

  1. "PLANS recognition guide 2015". August 7, 2015.
  2. "PLANS recognition guide 2018". July 16, 2018.
  3. "PLANS recognition guide 2019". February 19, 2020.
  4. "PLANS recognition guide 2020". February 19, 2020.
  5. Type 815
  6. "Type 815G". Archived from the original on 2014-05-17. Retrieved 2014-05-15.
  7. Type 815A
  8. Type 815A spy ship radome
  9. Type 815G spy ship radome
  10. "Chinese spy ship and US destroyer seen near Taiwan". www.taipeitimes.com. Taipei Times. CNA. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  11. Dillon, Louis (2019-07-08). "Spy Games: All eyes on Australia as Exercise Talisman Sabre launches". www.defenceconnect.com.au. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  12. Greene, Andrew (12 July 2019). "Chinese spy ship staying just outside Australia's territorial waters ahead of Talisman Sabre war games". ABC News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  13. Greene, Andrew (14 July 2019). "Chinese spy ship reportedly arrives off Queensland coast to monitor war games with the United States". ABC News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  14. Greene, Andrew (13 July 2021). "Chinese spy ship returns to waters off Queensland ahead of Defence's largest war-fighting exercise". ABC News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  15. Greene, Andrew (17 July 2021). "Second Chinese spy ship approaches Australia to monitor military exercises after being 'on our radar for some time'". ABC News. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  16. "Defence Minister Peter Dutton says a Chinese spy ship has been seen near secretive naval facility off Western Australia". ABC Australia.
  17. "Australia says Chinese spy ship's presence off west coast 'concerning'". Reuters.