Type 639 research ship


Type 639 is a type of ocean surveillance ship is a type of oceanographic surveillance ship developed by China for its People's Liberation Army Navy to replace earlier Type 595. A single unit of Type 639 with pennant number Bei-diao 992 is currently in service as an oceanographic research ship and five more modified version serving as hydrographic survey ships are designated as Type 639A. Type 639 has received NATO reporting name Kanhai class, 勘海 in Chinese, meaning Surveying Sea.
Type 639 is a SWATH design of 1500 tons of displacement with three anchors. In addition to the SWATH hull form, another unique feature of Type 639 oceanographic research ship is the adaptation of integrated electric propulsion system. Developed by China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, the subsystems are developed by various subsidiaries and divisions of CSIC. The ship is jointly developed by 701st and . The ship was built by of CASIC. The integrated electric propulsion system was the result of work of several CASIC subsidiaries and divisions, including,,,,, and the final integration of various subsystems of the integrated electric propulsion system is . To meet the strict requirement, nearly a dozen new technologies were incorporated, most of them were for the first time in China. The most obvious visual feature of Type 639 oceanographic surveillance ship is that there is a well in the center to lower acoustic or other scientific equipment.
Type 639/639A series ships in PLAN service are designated by a combination of two Chinese characters followed by three-digit number. The second Chinese character is Shui, meaning research, or Ce, meaning survey, because these ships are classified either as oceanographic or hydrographic research. The first Chinese character denotes which fleet the ship is service with, with East for East Sea Fleet, North for North Sea Fleet, and South for South Sea Fleet. However, the pennant numbers are subject to change due to changes of Chinese naval ships naming convention, or when units are transferred to different fleets.
TypePennant #BuilderLaunchedCommissionedStatusFleet
639Bei-Diao 992Wuchang ShipyardAfter 20002009ActiveNorth Sea Fleet
639ABei-Ce 901Wuchang ShipyardAfter 20002015ActiveNorth Sea Fleet
639ABei-Ce 902Wuchang ShipyardAfter 2000After 2010ActiveNorth Sea Fleet
639ADong-Ce 232Wuchang ShipyardAfter 20002013ActiveEast Sea Fleet
639ADong-Ce 233Wuchang ShipyardAfter 20002015ActiveEast Sea Fleet
639ANan-Ce 429Wuchang ShipyardAfter 20002013ActiveSouth Sea Fleet
639ANan-Ce 430Wuchang ShipyardAfter 20002013ActiveSouth Sea Fleet