Type 815 spy ship

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:[http://www.haijun360.com/news/dzZCC/2011/817/1181721128J4J3G73JD347A0F456AK.html Type 815]

• Length: {{cvt|130|m|lk=on}}
• Width: {{cvt|16.4|m}}
• Draft: {{cvt|6.5|m}}
• Displacement: {{convert|6000|t|lt|lk=on}}
• Speed: {{convert|20|knot|lk=on}}
• Crew: 250
• Propulsion: diesel engine
• Armament: 1 Type 76 twin 37 mm naval gun, 2 Type 61 twin 25 mm AA gun

In 2009 an improved version appeared, designated as Type 815G,{{cn|date=October 2020}} 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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.haijun360.com/news/dzZCC/2011/1122/1111222111414906C8I6H50E4FHKJ8H5.html |title=Type 815G |access-date=2014-05-15 |archive-date=2014-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517115749/http://www.haijun360.com/news/dzZCC/2011/1122/1111222111414906C8I6H50E4FHKJ8H5.html |url-status=dead }}

In January 2017, an improved Type 815G entered service with Chinese navy. Designated as Type 815A,[http://www.shobserver.com/news/detail?id=42226 Type 815A] 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,[http://www.haijun360.com/news/dzZCC/2016/122/1612216330529G00AIH893FABGDGJ3.html Type 815A spy ship radome] while the top of cylinder radome of earlier Type 815G has a semi-sphere.[http://www.haijun360.com/news/dzZCC/2015/14/151493583B0ECKHBH938F98790DJ.html Type 815G spy ship radome]

The Type 815 is the most common spy ship deployed off the Taiwan Strait.{{cite web |agency=CNA |title=Chinese spy ship and US destroyer seen near Taiwan |url=https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/07/15/2003760889 |website=www.taipeitimes.com |date=15 July 2021 |publisher=Taipei Times |access-date=15 July 2021}} 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 (天王星, Uranus) and Haiwangxing (海王星, Neptune) were deployed.{{Cite web|url=https://www.defenceconnect.com.au/key-enablers/4371-talisman-sabre-launches|title=Spy Games: All eyes on Australia as Exercise Talisman Sabre launches|last=Dillon|first=Louis|date=2019-07-08|website=www.defenceconnect.com.au|language=en|access-date=2019-07-17}}{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Chinese spy ship staying just outside Australia's territorial waters ahead of Talisman Sabre war games |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-12/chinese-spy-ship-arrives-near-talisman-sabre-war-games/11302694 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=ABC News |date=12 July 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Chinese spy ship reportedly arrives off Queensland coast to monitor war games with the United States |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-07-14/chinese-war-ship-war-games-queensland-first-pictures/11308072 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=ABC News |date=14 July 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Chinese spy ship returns to waters off Queensland ahead of Defence's largest war-fighting exercise |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-14/chinese-spy-ship-returns-to-australian-waters/100289192 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=ABC News |date=13 July 2021}}{{cite news |last1=Greene |first1=Andrew |title=Second Chinese spy ship approaches Australia to monitor military exercises after being 'on our radar for some time' |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-18/second-chinese-spy-ship-australia-monitor-military-exercises/100302198 |access-date=19 July 2021 |work=ABC News |date=17 July 2021}} In 2024, Tianquanxing (天權星, Megrez) was spotted off the coast of Pingtung ahead of Taiwan's missile tests.{{Cite web |last=Tsai |first=Tsung-hsien |date=July 19, 2024 |title=中國電子偵察艦往東南航行 疑與監測國軍飛彈試射有關 |url=https://def.ltn.com.tw/article/breakingnews/4772562?fbclid=IwY2xjawEvjzJleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHfcaNQu2zEPwvvTCKhkxjSEOxBdbmglBGnM9IVh2qBItxhJfN4wkYTTrxg_aem_ETWCrv_ONE2FSZQsGEvRfg |access-date=July 19, 2024 |website=Liberty Times News}}

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”{{cite news |title=Defence Minister Peter Dutton says a Chinese spy ship has been seen near secretive naval facility off Western Australia |url=https://www.abc.net.au/article/101064538 |agency=ABC Australia}}{{cite news |title=Australia says Chinese spy ship's presence off west coast 'concerning' |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/australian-defence-minister-says-chinese-spy-ship-waters-an-act-aggression-2022-05-13 |work=Reuters}}

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{{Ship classes of the Chinese Navy|state=collapsed}}

Category:Auxiliary surveillance ship classes

Category:Auxiliary ships of the People's Liberation Army Navy