Dachou-class torpedo retriever/target ship

The Dachou class range support vessel/target ship (AGT)/torpedo retriever (TR/TRW) is a class of little known auxiliary ship built in the People's Republic of China (PRC) for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).^{[1][2][3][4][5]} Designed as a successor of earlier Type 917 torpedo retriever (TR/TWR)/target ship (AGT), the exact domestic Chinese type designation remains unknown, and this class is identified by its NATO reporting name Dachou class,^[1][2][3][4] or 大筹 in Chinese, meaning "big plan". Specification:^[1][2][3][4]

• Length: 68 meters (223 ft 1 in)

History
PRC
Ordered	Late 2000s
Awarded	Early 2010s
Laid down	Early 2010s
Launched	Early 2010s
Completed	Since early 2010s
Commissioned	Since early 2010s
Status	Active
Class overview
Operators	People's Liberation Army Navy
Preceded by	Type 917 torpedo retriever (TR/TWR) / target ship (AGT)
Built	Early 2010s
General characteristics
Class and type	Dachou
Type	Torpedo retriever (TR/TWR) / range support vessel / target ship (AGT)
Length	68 m (223 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	Marine Diesel
Sensors and processing systems	Navigation radar

The Dachou class in PLAN service is designated by a combination of two Chinese characters followed by a three-digit number. The second Chinese character is Yun (运), meaning Transport in Chinese, indicating that in addition to range support and targeting missions, this class is also used as transport (AP), though some modification work is required to remove onboard range support and targeting equipment before it can be used to transport cargoes. The first Chinese character denotes which fleet the ship is service with, with East (Dong, 东) for East Sea Fleet, North (Bei, 北) for North Sea Fleet, and South (Nan, 南) 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. As of 2022, a total of four ships have been identified:^[1][2][3][4]