The Wuhan ship will transform! Once forced more than 40 pirate ships and merchant ships to retreat one day | Wuhan | Pirates
Joined the Navy for nearly 20 years
More than 40 pirate ships were forced to retreat in one day
Wuhan ship, as the main force of the South China Sea Fleet
Accepting modern modifications
About to undergo a great transformation!
The Wuhan ship under upgrade and renovation. Photo by journalist Hu Sheng
Introduction to Wuhan Ship
The Wuhan ship of the People's Liberation Army Navy of China was commissioned in December 2004 and belongs to a certain destroyer detachment of the Navy. The ship is approximately 155 meters long, 17 meters wide, with a maximum displacement of over 6000 tons, a range of over 4000 nautical miles, and a maximum speed of 29 knots. It has comprehensive combat capabilities such as air defense, anti submarine, and anti-ship, and is mainly responsible for fleet cover, regional air defense, and ship to submarine attacks.
The Wuhan ship is sailing in the Pacific Ocean.
It is the "South China Sea Iron Fist" that gallops across the ocean, and its name comes from the hometown of white clouds and yellow cranes. Wuhan and Wuhan ships, you name me and I will guard for you.
On the eve of the Army Day on August 1st, a reporter from the Yangtze River Daily visited active and retired Wuhan naval officers and soldiers in multiple places in Guangdong and Wuhan, listening to their stories of the heroic city and the heroic ship growing together, and the warship advancing and retreating with the people.
In 2002, the Wuhan ship named after Wuhan was launched for the first time under the farewell of the Wuhan family condolence group. In 2004, the Wuhan ship officially joined the navy and became the main ship of the South China Sea Fleet. For more than 20 years, Wuhan and its ships have worked together, forming an inseparable bond, "writing" the deep affection of the two sides rushing towards each other.
Escort the Gulf of Aden
More than 40 pirate ships were forced to retreat in one day
December 26, 2008 was a day recorded in the history of the Chinese Navy. The first batch of three warships from the Chinese Navy's escort fleet honked their horns and set sail for escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters. This is the first time that China has used military force to go overseas to safeguard national strategic interests.
The first ship to set sail in the escort fleet was the Wuhan ship.
The Wuhan ship on the voyage.
Xia Can is one of the veteran sailors of the Wuhan ship, and participating in escort missions in the Gulf of Aden is his proudest experience. He told reporters that during a mission, a formation of four Chinese merchant ships and one foreign merchant ship sailed towards the central Gulf of Aden, with pirate boats constantly appearing near the formation. After nearly three hours of confrontation with the Wuhan ship, the pirate's small boat finally left.
Xia Can, who had been nervously preparing for the battle all morning, breathed a sigh of relief and was about to go to the military cabin for lunch break when a hurried alarm suddenly sounded. Originally, a distress message came from the merchant ship behind the formation: "Three pirate ships are approaching at high speed, ready to board."
Various emergency plans will be activated immediately. Xia Can quickly ran to her position and stared intently at the operation panel of the equipment, waiting for the command to be issued. Under the continuous deterrence of various weapons and equipment, pirates had to give up their attempt to hijack merchant ships.
Wuhan ship launches rocket deep shells.
The pirates who gained nothing were not willing to accept it. Late at night, green dots lit up one after another on the display screen of the infrared observation device, heading towards the merchant ship at high speed. After being repeatedly deterred by explosive shells, flash bullets, and firing guns, the pirates had no choice but to give up. In just one day, the escort fleet was surrounded by more than 40 pirate ships, and the Wuhan ship withstood the test, demonstrating the style of a heroic ship.
During the 124 days of carrying out escort missions, the Wuhan ship and its fleet successively escorted 41 batches of 212 ships, ensuring the safety of the protected ships and personnel. At the same time, they broke multiple records in naval history, such as sailing time and total distance.
According to Wang Hao, Deputy Political Commissar of the Wuhan Ship, as of now, the officers and soldiers of the Wuhan Ship have successfully completed more than 40 major tasks such as a series of military exercises and escort in the Gulf of Aden. The ship's trajectory covers three continents and four oceans, and it has twice won the collective second-class merit.
She designed the Wuhan ship
Years later, I boarded the ship again
On the eve of the Army Day on August 1st, a military port in Guangdong was undergoing modernization renovations on a Wuhan ship. One of the main designers of the design team at that time, Zhou Wei, a researcher at China Shipbuilding Corporation's 701 Research Institute, boarded the ship to provide guidance. Accompanied by naval officers and soldiers, she occasionally stopped to inspect.
Wuhan ship designer Zhou Wei visited the interior cabin of the Wuhan ship for renovation. Photo by journalist Hu Sheng
At the end of the last century, China's coastal defense industry was particularly weak in terms of air defense capabilities, requiring a group of destroyers with air defense capabilities. "At that time, we were explorers of the new type of destroyer in the Chinese Navy, under great pressure and with greater responsibility. Our motherland entrusted this task to us, and we must do our best to complete it," Zhou Wei explained.
"The research team completed the development of the ship with the spirit of 'grinding a sword for ten years', and encountered countless difficulties." Zhou Wei said that success was mainly achieved through faith, which in Wuhan's words is' not obeying Zhou'.
One of the main designers of the Wuhan ship, Zhou Wei, communicated with the construction personnel of the Wuhan ship. Photo by journalist Hu Sheng
Among the two ships designed by Zhou Wei, one was named the Wuhan ship. "I am deeply proud that the people of Wuhan designed the Wuhan warship," Zhou Wei said. "As a member of the design team, I am particularly excited to see the modern modification of the Wuhan warship. I believe that the day when the hero's battleship 'Feather Changing' reappears will be even more majestic."
On board this time, Zhou Wei brought a gift entrusted by the Wuhan Federation of Literary and Art Circles to the officers and soldiers of the ship - a calligraphy work written "Dare to pursue excellence first", and the officers and soldiers of the Wuhan ship returned a five-star red flag to Zhou Wei.
The officers and soldiers of the Wuhan ship presented the national flag accompanying the ship to sea. Photo by journalist Hu Sheng
"The Wuhan ship has achieved many accomplishments in the ocean, which is the best interpretation of the urban spirit of Wuhan." Zhou Wei expressed his blessings in his heart:
"Continue to ride the wind and waves, and achieve better results."
Produced by Changjiang Daily
