Panshih-class fast combat support ship
{{short description|Taiwanese navy ship class}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image |Ship image=300px |Ship caption=Panshih }} {{Infobox ship class overview |Name= |Builders= CSBC Corporation, Taiwan, Kaoshiung, Taiwan |Operators={{navy|Republic of China}} |Class before= {{ship|ROCS|Wu Yi|AOE-530|6}} |Class after= |Subclasses= |Cost= $130m USD |Built range= |In service range= |In commission range= |Total ships building= |Total ships planned= |Total ships completed=1 |Total ships cancelled= |Total ships active=1 |Total ships laid up= |Total ships lost= |Total ships retired= |Total ships preserved= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type=Fast combat support ship |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement={{convert|20859|LT|t}} |Ship length={{convert|643|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} (overall) |Ship beam={{convert|82|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draft={{convert|28|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} |Ship power= |Ship propulsion= |Ship speed={{convert|22|kn|lk=in}} |Ship range= {{convert|8,000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} |Ship endurance= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship troops= |Ship complement=165 |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament= * 1 × Sea Chaparral
|Ship aircraft= SH-60 Seahawk or CH-47 Chinook |Ship aircraft facilities= Hangar space for up to three medium-sized helicopters |Ship notes= }} |
File:03.21 總統出席「海軍106年敦睦支隊啟航歡送暨潛艦國造設計啟動及合作備忘錄簽署」，於盤石軍鑑之飛行甲板上向列隊官兵表達祝福 (33437665581).jpg addresses sailors from the fantail of Pan Shih]]
File:ROCN Panshi (AOE-532) Shipped at No.3 East Pier of Zuoying Naval Base 20151024d.jpg
The Panshih-class fast combat support ship (磐石級補給艦){{cite web |title=National Defense |url=https://english.ey.gov.tw/cp.aspx?n=DAA9FC88C616C10D |website=english.ey.gov.tw |publisher=Executive Yuan |accessdate=1 April 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401215208/https://english.ey.gov.tw/cp.aspx?n=DAA9FC88C616C10D |archive-date=1 April 2019 }} is a single-ship class of the Republic of China Navy used to refuel, rearm, and resupply ROC Navy and allied ships.{{cite web |author=Staff Writer |title=Navy debuts logistical support ship 'Panshih' |url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2015/01/24/2003609971 |website=taipeitimes.com |date=24 January 2015 |publisher=Taipei Times |accessdate=1 April 2019}} The class is named for Pan Shih mountain in Hualien County.
Design
Primarily a supply and support vessel, the Pan Shih class also has military transport, maritime rescue, and humanitarian assistance capabilities. The vessel has a significant medical wing with an operating theater, a dental room, three regular wards and an isolation ward.{{cite web |last1=Panda |first1=Ankit |title=The Taiwanese Navy's Newest Ship: The Panshih |url=https://thediplomat.com/2015/01/the-taiwanese-navys-newest-ship-the-panshih/ |website=thediplomat.com |publisher=The Diplomat |accessdate=24 April 2019}} The class has the ability to refuel two ships at once and will help the Republic of China Navy to project power around the globe, particularly in the humanitarian assistance disaster relief (HADR) role. Taiwan has few enemies; barring war with the People's Republic of China, the class will most likely only be used for military operations other than war.{{cite web |last1=Thim |first1=Michael |title=NEW SHIP BOOSTS TAIWAN'S HADR CAPABILITIES |url=http://cimsec.org/new-ship-boosts-taiwans-hadr-capabilities/17609 |website=cimsec.org |publisher=Center for International Maritime Security |accessdate=2 May 2019}}
History
The lead ship of the class, Panshih, was laid down at CSBC Corporation, Taiwan's Kaoshiung shipyard in December 2012 and launched in November 2013. She was designed by the Ship and Ocean Industries R&D Center.{{cite web |title=ROC Navy started sea trials of its new fast combat support ship AOE 532 "Panshi" |url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2014-news/november-2014-navy-naval-forces-maritime-industry-technology-security-global-news/2191-roc-navy-started-sea-trials-of-its-new-fast-combat-support-ship-aoe-532-qpanshiq.html |website=Navyrecognition.com |publisher=Navy Recognition |accessdate=1 April 2019}}
On 18 April 2020, Minister of Health and Welfare Chen Shih-chung reported that three naval cadets, interning on one of the ships on diplomatic mission to Palau, had tested positive for coronavirus.{{efn|Taiwan has numbered them Cases 396, 397, and 398.}}{{Cite web|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202004180005|title=Taiwan confirms 3 new cases of COVID-19, in military: CECC - Focus Taiwan|website=focustaiwan.tw}} All three cadets were in their 20s, with one case showing symptoms as early as 12 April before seeking medical attention on 15 April, when the ship returned to Taiwan. There were 337 people aboard the same ship as the cadets. Over 700 sailors serving in the three-ship fleet have been placed in quarantine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3918628|title=Taiwan adds 3 Navy trainees as imported coron...|website=Taiwan News|date=18 April 2020 }}
A Dunmu fleet (Navy port call diplomatic mission fleet) is formed annually, and this iteration of the Dunmu fleet was formed on 20 February 2020 consisting of the following three ships:
- ROCS Pan Shi, a fast combat support ship and the flagship of the fleet,
- {{ship|ROCS|Yueh Fei|PFG2-1106|6}}, a frigate, and
- {{Interlanguage link|La Fayette-class frigate#Kang Ding class: ROC (Taiwan)|lt=ROCS Kang Ding|zh|康定號巡防艦|pl|Kang Ding|display=yes}}, a frigate.{{Cite web|url=https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/paper/1366932|title=國軍稱做好準備 敦睦艦隊為何還是確診 - 政治 - 自由時報電子報|date=April 19, 2020|website=自由電子報}}
The three cadets had boarded the ship on 21 February, and the fleet left {{Interlanguage link|Zuoying District#Naval|lt=Zuoying Naval Base|zh|海軍左營基地|display=yes}} on 5 March 2020 for a goodwill visit with Palau.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov.tw/En/Bulletin/Detail/hl5GDpwYhOclf8GTrR_GcQ?typeid=158|title=CECC confirms 3 more imported COVID-19 cases; cadets confirmed to have COVID-19|website=www.cdc.gov.tw}} The fleet stayed at Palau from 12 March to 15 March 2020, although the size restrictions at the port in Palau meant that only Kang Ding entered the port. After departing Palau, the fleet remained at sea for roughly a month before returning to Zuoying Naval Base on 15 April.{{efn|One source mentions that the fleet actually returned to the base on 9 April 2020, and the soldiers were placed in isolation for six days before they were allowed to disembark on 15 April. It is unclear whether the ship docked before, during, or after the isolation period.|name="dunmu.isolation"}}
On 19 April, Taiwan announced that a further 21 sailors of the Dunmu fleet had tested positive, bringing the total number of cases to 24.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cdc.gov.tw/Bulletin/Detail/KhUvbPOgGj6kcpHd4ONypA?typeid=9|title=新增敦睦遠訓支隊21例確診，1例境外移入確診|website=www.cdc.gov.tw}} All 24 cases were found aboard Pan Shi.{{Cite web|url=https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202004190012|title=Navy apologizes for COVID-19 infections on ship, defends mission - Focus Taiwan|website=focustaiwan.tw}}
The goodwill mission has been criticized for pictures of sailors not wearing masks appearing on social media. Vice Admiral {{Interlanguage link|Mei Chia-Shu|zh|梅家樹}}, Navy Deputy Commander, stated that as Palau had no reported cases of coronavirus at the time, such a decision was made after consulting with Taiwan's embassy in Palau. In response to the outbreak Taiwan's Navy deployed quick Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests for COVID-19 aboard major vessels.{{cite web |last1=Ming-shuan |first1=Chang |last2=Hsiung-feng |first2=Chang |last3=Yu |first3=Matt |last4=Lim |first4=Emerson |title=Taiwan military vessels to be equipped with COVID-19 tests |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/society/202005030016 |website=focustaiwan.tw |publisher=Focus Taiwan |accessdate=14 May 2020}}
The Panshih participated in the 2024 Dunmu Fleet exercise.{{cite web |last1=Chen |first1=Kelvin |title=Taiwan's Dunmu Goodwill Fleet sets off on round-the-nation tour |url=https://taiwannews.com.tw/news/5110281 |website=taiwannews.com.tw |publisher=Taiwan News |access-date=29 July 2024}}
See also
- {{sclass|Berlin|replenishment ship|1}}
- {{sclass|Supply|fast combat support ship|1}}
- Type 903 replenishment ship
- Fast combat support ship
- Yushan-class landing platform dock
- Defense industry of Taiwan
Notes
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