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Jinsha II-class LCAC
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Jinsha II-class LCAC
The Type 722 II LCAC with NATO reporting name Jinsha II-class LCAC (Chinese: 金沙; pinyin: Jīnshā; lit. 'golden sand') is a medium size air-cushioned landing craft (hovercraft) operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy of China. It is frequently but erroneously referred by many as Dagu class, its predecessor, due to misspelling and lack of information in the 1970s, when these projects first appeared. There are also other names for this class, mostly resulting from different transliterations.
The origin of Type 722 II LCAC can be traced straight back in the late 1960s to the Type 716 LCAC, from which Type 722 II eventually developed from directly. In the late 1960s, People's Liberation Army General Logistics Department requested 708th Research Institute to design a prototype LCAC for logistic needs to supply coastal islands, but due to political turmoil in China, namely, the Cultural Revolution, construction took three years after the design was approved, and it was not until 1978 when the boat was finally completed by Hudong Shipbuilding (沪东造船厂) in Shanghai and entered service in the same year. The NATO reporting name Dagu A class was given to the Type 716 LCAC, which achieved speed over 100 km/h (62 mph) during trials in Dianshan Lake, before being sent to South China Sea for further evaluation. Ships of the Type 716 measured 17.94 metres (58 ft 10 in) long with a width of 8.3 m (27 ft 3 in) and a height of 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in). The vessels had a displacement of 18.6 t (18.3 long tons) and a capacity for a platoon of 32 troops or 2 t (2.0 long tons; 2.2 short tons) of cargo. The LCAC were powered by a single piston-driven aero-engine.
The Type 716's NATO reporting name Dagu A class was erroneously used to refer other Chinese LCACs, but analysis of the technical data revealed that this name is actually for Type 716 class (also Type 716 I class when the upgraded version appeared later), when more information became available from Chinese official sources years later.
Type 716 LCAC did not enter mass production after the prototype was built due to its fatal design flaw: the propulsion system was an aero engine driven by gasoline, which is prone to fire. The 708th Research Institute and Hudong Shipyard completed its upgrade in 1983, which replaced the original gasoline engine with a 12L413FC diesel engine. Other improvements included utilization of ducted propeller, and redesigned skirt and propulsion system. The improvement version designed was designated the Type 716 II, and given the NATO reporting name Dagu B class. Experience gained from this class was directly used on later Type 722 II LCAC.
In 1975, after the design of Type 716 LCAC was approved, the Chinese navy asked the 708th Research Institute to design a medium-sized LCAC utilizing experienced gained from Type 716. Just as in the case of Type 716, the Type 722 LCAC suffered delay in construction after design was approved due to the same political turmoil in China, and it was not until 1979 when the first unit entered the service. The prototype was built with aluminum alloy with both the bow and stern door/ramp, and was able to carry up to 15 t (15 long tons; 17 short tons) of cargo or a company of soldiers. With a displacement of 65 t (64 long tons), the craft can reach speed of 90 km/h (56 mph) powered by four 1,100 kW (1,500 hp) aero-engines. The Type 722 received the NATO reporting name Jingsha I-class LCAC. The sole prototype (452) lacked a bow door for disembarkation, but this feature may have been added to an improved version before entering production.
However, deployment experienced revealed that the performance of Type 722 was not satisfactory. The primary design flaw was the same one shared by its direct predecessor, the Type 716, in that the four engines are gasoline drive, prone to fire. In addition, the engine was very noisy and had a high MTBF rate, and the aluminum alloy was not resistant to salt corrosion. This shortcoming lead to a massive improvement program that lasted a decade, resulting in Type 722 II LCAC.
To solve the problems of the Type 722 LCAC exposed during deployment, designers looked back to its predecessor Type 716 I/II LCAC for answers, but due to the difference between the two classes, new technologies were needed, including new type of magnesium–aluminum alloy used to replace the original aluminum alloy. The improvement effort required more resources, and 702nd Research Institute and Chinese navy joined the team to assist the 708th Research Institute.
The most significant improvement of the Type 722 II LCAC over the original Type 722 is in its propulsion system. In 1983, an indigenous Type 409 gas turbine engine based on the WJ-6 (WJ = Wo-Jiang 涡浆) turboprop aero-engine was successfully developed, and it was decided to adopt it for the Type 722 II. Because this was the very first time a gas turbine engine was adopted for LCAC, many tests were needed, which protracted the time. It was not until three years later in 1986 when all land-based tests for the Type 409 gas turbine engine were completed, and then installed on the boat in the following year. Finally, in 1989, the first Type 722 II was completed and entered the service in the same year. The Type 722 II received the NATO reporting name Jinsha II-class LCAC.
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Jinsha II-class LCAC
The Type 722 II LCAC with NATO reporting name Jinsha II-class LCAC (Chinese: 金沙; pinyin: Jīnshā; lit. 'golden sand') is a medium size air-cushioned landing craft (hovercraft) operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy of China. It is frequently but erroneously referred by many as Dagu class, its predecessor, due to misspelling and lack of information in the 1970s, when these projects first appeared. There are also other names for this class, mostly resulting from different transliterations.
The origin of Type 722 II LCAC can be traced straight back in the late 1960s to the Type 716 LCAC, from which Type 722 II eventually developed from directly. In the late 1960s, People's Liberation Army General Logistics Department requested 708th Research Institute to design a prototype LCAC for logistic needs to supply coastal islands, but due to political turmoil in China, namely, the Cultural Revolution, construction took three years after the design was approved, and it was not until 1978 when the boat was finally completed by Hudong Shipbuilding (沪东造船厂) in Shanghai and entered service in the same year. The NATO reporting name Dagu A class was given to the Type 716 LCAC, which achieved speed over 100 km/h (62 mph) during trials in Dianshan Lake, before being sent to South China Sea for further evaluation. Ships of the Type 716 measured 17.94 metres (58 ft 10 in) long with a width of 8.3 m (27 ft 3 in) and a height of 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in). The vessels had a displacement of 18.6 t (18.3 long tons) and a capacity for a platoon of 32 troops or 2 t (2.0 long tons; 2.2 short tons) of cargo. The LCAC were powered by a single piston-driven aero-engine.
The Type 716's NATO reporting name Dagu A class was erroneously used to refer other Chinese LCACs, but analysis of the technical data revealed that this name is actually for Type 716 class (also Type 716 I class when the upgraded version appeared later), when more information became available from Chinese official sources years later.
Type 716 LCAC did not enter mass production after the prototype was built due to its fatal design flaw: the propulsion system was an aero engine driven by gasoline, which is prone to fire. The 708th Research Institute and Hudong Shipyard completed its upgrade in 1983, which replaced the original gasoline engine with a 12L413FC diesel engine. Other improvements included utilization of ducted propeller, and redesigned skirt and propulsion system. The improvement version designed was designated the Type 716 II, and given the NATO reporting name Dagu B class. Experience gained from this class was directly used on later Type 722 II LCAC.
In 1975, after the design of Type 716 LCAC was approved, the Chinese navy asked the 708th Research Institute to design a medium-sized LCAC utilizing experienced gained from Type 716. Just as in the case of Type 716, the Type 722 LCAC suffered delay in construction after design was approved due to the same political turmoil in China, and it was not until 1979 when the first unit entered the service. The prototype was built with aluminum alloy with both the bow and stern door/ramp, and was able to carry up to 15 t (15 long tons; 17 short tons) of cargo or a company of soldiers. With a displacement of 65 t (64 long tons), the craft can reach speed of 90 km/h (56 mph) powered by four 1,100 kW (1,500 hp) aero-engines. The Type 722 received the NATO reporting name Jingsha I-class LCAC. The sole prototype (452) lacked a bow door for disembarkation, but this feature may have been added to an improved version before entering production.
However, deployment experienced revealed that the performance of Type 722 was not satisfactory. The primary design flaw was the same one shared by its direct predecessor, the Type 716, in that the four engines are gasoline drive, prone to fire. In addition, the engine was very noisy and had a high MTBF rate, and the aluminum alloy was not resistant to salt corrosion. This shortcoming lead to a massive improvement program that lasted a decade, resulting in Type 722 II LCAC.
To solve the problems of the Type 722 LCAC exposed during deployment, designers looked back to its predecessor Type 716 I/II LCAC for answers, but due to the difference between the two classes, new technologies were needed, including new type of magnesium–aluminum alloy used to replace the original aluminum alloy. The improvement effort required more resources, and 702nd Research Institute and Chinese navy joined the team to assist the 708th Research Institute.
The most significant improvement of the Type 722 II LCAC over the original Type 722 is in its propulsion system. In 1983, an indigenous Type 409 gas turbine engine based on the WJ-6 (WJ = Wo-Jiang 涡浆) turboprop aero-engine was successfully developed, and it was decided to adopt it for the Type 722 II. Because this was the very first time a gas turbine engine was adopted for LCAC, many tests were needed, which protracted the time. It was not until three years later in 1986 when all land-based tests for the Type 409 gas turbine engine were completed, and then installed on the boat in the following year. Finally, in 1989, the first Type 722 II was completed and entered the service in the same year. The Type 722 II received the NATO reporting name Jinsha II-class LCAC.
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