Is China’s coastguard about to go big offshore with new ocean-going mothership?
- A newly designed vessel was one of the attractions in a show of freshly acquired tech that also included underwater drones
The vessel was one of a number of new coastguard ships “recently” on show in Ningbo, in the eastern province of Zhejiang, alongside various underwater drones and uncrewed boats.
The new equipment was designed by the Marine Design and Research Institute of China, which is affiliated with state-owned shipbuilding giant China State Shipbuilding Corporation.
The equipment is not in service with the China Coast Guard but in a statement on its WeChat account on Thursday, the institute said the equipment was based on “the mission requirements of the coastguard” and showed independent innovation in cutting-edge technology, particularly in the field of unmanned equipment.
The statement did not give details of the mothership but such vessels are typically large and used to support and maintain other ships, aircraft, or operational units, much like an aircraft carrier in the navy.
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The display of large vessels and unmanned equipment comes amid heightened tensions in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait.
