Navy 83rd Fleet Sets Sail for Comprehensive Offshore Training and Visit Mission

Yesterday (July 20), in the morning, the 83rd naval formation, consisting of the Chinese Navy's Qijiang and Kunlunshan ships, set sail from a military port in Zhanjiang with over 900 naval officers and soldiers, executing a long-distance comprehensive training and visiting mission.

At 10 a.m., the two ships of the formation slowly departed from the dock. The trainees accompanying the ships are mainly from the Naval Dalian Shipbuilding Academy. According to the plan, 9 foreign military personnel will be mixed with Chinese trainees for joint training. During the mission, the formation will focus on enhancing the trainees' navigation skills and comprehensive capabilities through practical training.

Naval 83ship trainee Cao Yibin: As a naval trainee, this is my first time going to sea with a ship. I hope to use this long voyage to hone my combat style, improve my practical navigation skills, and master my professional skills to lay a solid foundation for my future work on a ship.

In terms of training content, the formation has set up subjects such as navigation, ship training management, wargaming, and specialized topic training, conducting on-site teaching based on the characteristics of the sailing area. During the stay at foreign ports, the formation will also organize courtesy visits, deck receptions, and observation activities as friendly exchanges.

Naval Qijiang ship Ge Jianzhong: We hope to solidify the professional foundation for the trainees and help everyone accumulate practical experience at sea. At the same time, we will also use various military diplomatic activities to deepen mutual trust and enhance friendship with the visiting countries.

What ships make up the Naval 83 formation?

This time, the Naval 83 formation consists of the Qijiang and Kunlunshan ships. Let's learn more about these two vessels.

Naval Qijiang ship, hull number 83, is currently our country's largest and most modernized professional training ship.

This ship is mainly used for naval academy trainees and officers to conduct practical training at sea and is known as the "floating university" of the People's Navy. The ship is 163 meters long, 22 meters wide, and has a full-load displacement of over 9,000 tons. Since its commissioning in February 2017, the Qijiang has traveled across four continents and three oceans, visiting nearly 30 countries and regions, including Portugal, Italy, New Zealand, and Vietnam, with a total sailing distance of about 180,000 nautical miles.

Naval Kunlunshan ship, hull number 998, is the lead ship of the 071-type amphibious comprehensive landing ship, launched in December 2006, and is a symbolic platform for our military's amphibious combat forces moving from nearshore to deep blue waters.

The Kunlunshan ship is 210 meters long, 28 meters wide, and has a full-load displacement of about 20,000 tons. It is equipped with a dock chamber, vehicle storage, hangar, flight deck, and other loading functional areas, capable of performing three-dimensional landing and transportation combat missions. It is an important force for amphibious operations and national strategic delivery, having carried out significant missions such as the 6th and 31st escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters, and the China-Russia "Maritime Joint-2016" joint exercise.