Type 904 dive tender#Type 904II
{{short description|Chinese class of naval diving support vessel}}
{{Distinguish|Type 904 general stores issue ship}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= PRC |Ship flag= {{Shipboxflag|China|naval}} |Ship name= |Ship namesake= |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder= |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship captured= |Ship fate= |Ship status=Active |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=Yan Qian class |Ship type=Dive tender (YDT) & General purpose research ship (AGE) |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement= |Ship length= |Ship beam= |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=Marine Diesel |Ship speed= |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship boats= |Ship troops= |Ship complement= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors=Navigation radar |Ship EW=None |Ship armament=Unarmed |Ship armour= None |Ship aircraft= None |Ship aircraft facilities=None |Ship notes= }} |
Type 904 dive tender is a class of Chinese dive tender designed the People’s Republic of China (PRC) for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), and the late models Type 904I and Type 904II have received the NATO reporting name Yanqian,{{cite web| url=https://www.andrewerickson.com/2018/07/onis-new-2018-china-recognition-identification-guide-shows-3-different-types-of-maritime-militia-vessels/ | title=PLANS recognition guide 2018| date=July 16, 2018}}{{cite web| url=https://www.oni.navy.mil/Portals/12/Intel%20agencies/China_Media/2020_China_Recce_Poster_UNCLAS.jpg?ver=2020-02-19-081430-327 | title=PLANS recognition guide 2019| date=February 19, 2020}}{{cite web| url=https://www.andrewerickson.com/2020/02/office-of-naval-intelligence-just-published-latest-china-russia-maritime-ship-recognition-guides/ | title=PLANS recognition guide 2020| date=February 19, 2020}}{{cite web| url=https://news.usni.org/2015/08/07/document-office-of-naval-intelligence-chinese-military-and-coast-guard-ship-identification-guide | title=PLANS recognition guide 2015| date=August 7, 2015}}(研潜 in Chinese), meaning Research Diving. In addition to perform diving support missions, Type 904 I and II ships are also general purpose research vessels (AGE)frequently tasked to perform various scientific research works.
Type 904
Type 904 shares the same hull of Type 991II Youdian class cable layer, but the original design encountered difficulty when the development of domestic Chinese saturation diving support system stalled. Decision was made to import such system from abroad, with French system eventually selected. Consequently, the original Type 904 never went into production because the design had to be modified to accommodate the foreign saturation diving support system, and the modified design is designated as Type 904I.
Type 904I
Type 904I is a slight variation of earlier Type 904 design with design change to incorporate machinery to handle foreign diver support system. The crane at the stern is capable of lifting 13-ton weight. Equipped with French SM358-Z dive support system, Type 904I can support divers up to a depth of two hundred meters. Designed by the 708th Institute of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, which is also more commonly known as China Shipbuilding and Oceanic Engineering Design Academy ([http://maric.cssc.net.cn/ 中国船舶及海洋工程设计研究] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706013011/http://maric.cssc.net.cn/ |date=2019-07-06 }}) nowadays, Type 904I is capable of normal operations in sea state 3 and wind scale 5. Type 904I is named as Kan-Cha (Kancha, 勘查) I, meaning Exploration in Chinese. Specification:[http://www.haijun360.com/news/ShiYJ/2011/1126/111126104349693CGFE70G76F52C9KIC.html Type 904I]
- Length (m): 69.9
- Width (m): 10.5
- Draft (m): 3.64
- Displacement (t): 1354.8
- Speed (kt): 13.5
- Propulsion: 2 diesel engines @ 1100 hp (809 kW)
Type 904II
Type 904II is a slight upgrade of earlier Type 904I with some improvements. Designed by the same institute and built by the same shipyard, Type 904II can operate in the same sea state Type 904I does. Euipped with French SM360 diver support system, Type 904II can support diver to a depth of three hundred meters. Specification:[http://www.haijun360.com/news/ShiYJ/2011/1126/111126104349693CGFE70G76F52C9KIC.html Type 904II]
- Length (m): 71.55
- Waterline length (m): 66
- Length between perpendiculars (m): 63
- Width (m):10.5
- Depth (m): 5.2
- Draft (m): 3.6
- Displacement (t): 1327
- Speed (kt): 14
- Propulsion: 2 diesel engines @ 1100 jp (809 kW)
Ships
Original names of these ships listed in the table below might have been changed due to the new naming conventions of PLAN.
| class="wikitable"
! style="background:#079;color:#fff;" | Type ! style="background:#079;color:#fff;" | Pennant # ! style="background:#079;color:#fff;" | Builder ! style="background:#079;color:#fff;" | Started ! style="background:#079;color:#fff;" | Commissioned ! style="background:#079;color:#fff;" | Status |
| 904I
| Kan-Cha 1 | Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding | Feb 8, 1979 | Aug 1981 | Active |
| 904II
| Kan-Cha 2 | Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding | ― | May 1983 | Active |
References
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Ship classes of the Chinese Navy|state=uncollapsed}}
Category:Auxiliary ships of the People's Liberation Army Navy