Type 6610 (T-43 Class) Fleet Minesweeper

The Type 6605 and Type 6610 are licensed copies of the Soviet Project 254K/M (NATO reporting name: T-43 class) fleet minesweepers, which were originally introduced in the 1940s based on the German M-class minesweepers. It is the only seagoing minesweeper operated by the PLA Navy. A total of 38 hulls were built between 1955 and 1987, with 16 of them still operational today. No successor has been reported so far.

Programme

Under the 1950 Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance and Mutual Assistance, the Soviet Union would assist the newly founded People’s Republic of China (PRC) to build defence industry in order to modernise the PLA. As part of the agreement between Moscow and Beijing, the Soviet Union supplied the technology of its Project 254K seagoing minesweeper for a co-production in China. The co-production package included necessary technical documents, equipments and several vessels in kit form to be assembled in China. The Chinese designation for the vessel was Type 6605.

Construction of the first hull of the Type 6605 using Soviet-supplied kit began in March 1955 at Wuchang Shipyard in the central Hubei Province. The vessel was launched in March 1956 and commissioned in December. By December 1957, a further three vessels were delivered to the PLA Navy.

In June 1956, Soviet Union supplied the PRC with the technical documents of its Project 254M seagoing minesweeper, and the vessel was to be built in China as Type 6610. The first hull (#01) began construction at Wuchang Shipyard in July 1956 and was launched in April 1958. The vessel was officially handed over to the PLA Navy on 13 September 1958. A further three hulls (#02, #03, and #04) were delivered by the end of 1958. Chinese engineers made 12 items of modifications on these vessels in order to allow them to operate in the hot subtropics waters in southern China.

In 1957, the PRC ordered a further four project 254M minesweepers to be built in the 201 Factory (now Huangpu Shipyard) and Guangzhou Shipyard in the southern city of Guangzhou. Hull #05 was later turned into an acoustic research ship, while the other three hulls (#06, #07, #08) were all delivered to the PLA Navy by 1963.

The PRC ordered further Project 254M kits in 1958, but only received some of them as the production of the vessel in Soviet Union had already stopped. The fast deterioration of the Sino-Soviet relation and Moscow’s subsequent decision to cease its assistance to the Chinese communists and recall all of its advisers working in China has resulted in four Type 6610s remaining unfinished in Wuchang and Guangzhou Shipyard for nearly two years. The PRC managed to complete the hull #9 and #10 using indigenously built parts in late 1964, but further production was dropped due to the lack of kit supply from the Soviet Union.

In 1965, the PRC decided to fully indigenise the production of the Type 6610, and also made necessary modifications to the original Soviet design. The first two all Chinese-built Type 6610 minesweepers were commissioned between 1969~1970. However, the construction had been subsequently stopped as the vessel was regarded as obsolete and no longer meet the navy’s requirements.

In 1974, the Type 6610 production was re-opened to meet the PLA Navy's demands for more minesweepers. The newly built Type 6610s had a total of 818 modifications over the old design, including upgraded sonar and shafts. The vessel was certified for design finalisation in December 1981. Modifications on the vessel continued until the last hull was commissioned in 1987. A total of 38 hulls were built, including four Type 6605s, 33 Type 6610s, and an refitted acoustic research ship.

Design

The Type 6605 was a direct copy of the Soviet Project 254K base minesweeper, which was introduced in the late 1940s based on the German M-class minesweepers of the WWII-era. The vessel was designed to detect and remove mines for the rest of the fleet. The vessel is 58 metres in length and has a full displacement of 570 tonnes. The vessel has a crew of 77 men and its self-sustainability is 7 days. The vessel is powered by twp 1,100hp diesel, with two shafts, giving a maximum speed of 14 knots.

The Type 6605 is equipped with two MKT-2 medium mechanical sweep gears, a BAT acoustic generator, and a TZM-52 magnetic generator. Additionally, the vessel is also armed with two dual-37mm AAA guns (one front, one rear), four dual-12.7mm machine guns, and two BMB-1 depth charge projectors (with 10 depth charges).

The Type 6610 developed from Type 6605 has slight increased displacement and is one metre longer. With the introduction of new diesel and shafts, the vessel’s maximum speed is increased to 15 knots.

The Type 6610 is equipped with two MKT-1 large mechanical sweep gears, a BGAK acoustic generator, and an improved TZM-52M magnetic generator. The vessel is armed with two dual-37mm AAA gun (one front, one rear) , two dual-14.5mm anti-aircraft machine guns (in front of the bridge), and two dual-25mm AAA guns (mid-ship position). On some units, the dual-37mm AAA gun on the bow deck was replaced by a more powerful single-barrel 85mm gun. Additionally, the vessel has two Type 64 depth charge projectors (with 10 rounds).

As well as performing minesweeping missions, the Type 6610 could also be used for mine laying role, carrying a mine rail and 8~10 naval mines on its stern deck.

Operations

Despite being an ageing design, the Type 6605 and Type 6610 were highly appreciated by the PLA Navy due to their excellent versatility. In addition to minesweeping missions, the vessels have been used for a wide range of roles, including mine laying, patrol, antisubmarine warfare, escort, and personnel/cargo transport. Although the vessels have never been deployed for minesweeping operations in real combat, both types of vessels have taken part in surface combats.

On 11 July 1964, a Type 6605 minesweeper and a Type 01 frigate intercepted a small transport Manqingsheng of the Taiwanese Navy. After firing few warning shots, the Type 6605 minesweeper opened fire at Manqingsheng and sank the ship, while the Type 01 frigate sank another transport ship of the Taiwanese Navy nearby.

On 19 January 1974, two Type 6610 minesweepers (hull 389 and 396) together with two gunboats (hull 271 and 274) engaged with three frigates and a corvette of the South Vietnamese Navy near the Paracel Islands (Xisha Islands) in the South China Sea. The four vessels were then reinforced by two Type 037 (Hainan class) antisubmarine patrol crafts (hull 281 and 282). The battle resulted in one South Vietnamese corvette being sunk, and another heavily damaged. Type 6610 minesweeper hull 396 of the PLA Navy was also heavily damaged. After the battle, the PRC regained control over the Paracel Islands.

Shiplist

Specifications

Displacement: (full load) 570 tonnes (Type 6605); (standard) 570 tonnes (Type 6610)
Dimensions: Length: 58m (Type 6605) or 59m (Type 6610); Beam: 8.5m; Draft: 2.2m
Propulsion: 2X diesels, 2 shafts, 2,000bhp
Speed: Maximum 14 knots (Type 6605) or 15 knots (Type 6610); Minesweeping operation: 10 knots
Range: 3,800nm
Endurance: 7 days
Crew: 77

Last update: 10 March 2008