Naval Vessels Naming Regulation
Naval Vessels Naming Regulation (Chinese: 海军舰艇命名条例; pinyin: Hǎijũn Jiàntǐng MÌngmíng Tíaolì) is a regulation which concerns the naming of vessels of People's Liberation Army Navy. It was published by PLAN on November 18, 1978, and was revised on July 10, 1986.[1]
Nomenclature
The regulation states that surface combatants above cruiser class (i.e. battleships and aircraft carriers) shall be named by the State Council on a case-by-case basis while others are named after geographical locations:[1][2]
Ship[2] | Named after[2] |
---|---|
Cruisers | Chinese provinces |
Destroyers | Major Chinese cities |
Frigates | Major Chinese cities |
Nuclear submarines | Changzheng (Chinese: 长征; pinyin: Chángzhēng; literally: "Long March") followed by a serial number[1] |
Ballistic and cruise missile armed conventional submarines | Yuanzheng (Chinese: 远征; pinyin: Yuǎnzhēng; literally: "Expedition") followed by a serial number[1] |
Conventional submarines | Changcheng (Chinese: 长城; pinyin: Chángchēng; literally: "Great Wall") followed by a serial number[1] |
Mine warfare | Chinese prefectures |
Submarine chasers | Chinese counties |
Dock & tank landing ships | Chinese mountains |
Other landing ships | Chinese rivers |
Replenishment ships | Chinese lakes |
Research ships | Chinese scientists |
Training ships | Chinese naval officers |
A distinct difference between PLAN and most western navies is that unlike its western counterparts, PLAN does not use ship prefixes internally. However, a system of ship prefixes similar to that of west has been developed by many internet sources for similar classification:
Country | Service | Prefix | Meaning |
---|---|---|---|
People's Republic of China | People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) | PLANS | People's Liberation Army Navy Ship: Commissioned ships in PLAN, mostly warships & some auxiliaries. China does not use ship prefixes internally. |
PRCNS | People's Republic of China Naval Ship: PLAN owned ships manned by civilians, including most research ships. China does not use ship prefixes internally. | ||
China Coast Guard (PRCCG) | PRCCGS | People's Republic of China Coast Guard Ship. China does not use ship prefixes internally. | |
Governmental Agencies | PRCS | People's Republic of China Ship: ships owned by various Chinese governmental administrative and regulatory bodies, all of which are subject to naval deployment. China does not use ship prefixes internally. | |
Merchant Marine | PRCMV | People's Republic of China Merchant Vessel. China does not use ship prefixes internally. |
Footnotes
- 1 2 3 4 5 Liu, Wenhui; Liu, Sicong (11 August 2011). "中国海军舰艇命名由来及规律" [Origins and Patterns of the naming of Chinese Naval Vessels]. People's Daily. Xinhua News Agency. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
- 1 2 3 "Nomenclature of Chinese warships". Retrieved August 29, 2016.