Yŏngjŏnggang-class replenishment ship

Side view of BHB-463 Yŏngjŏnggang as completed.
Class overview
Name:	Yŏngjŏnggang class
Builders:	Samsan Maritime Engineering
Operators:	Menghe Medacapre
Preceded by:	Plan 1611 replenishment tanker
Succeeded by:	Anchungang-class fast combat support ship
Built:	2001-2019
In service:	2004-present
Planned:	10
Completed:	10
Active:	10
General characteristics
Type:	Replenishment oiler
Displacement:	24,000 tonnes full load
Length:	178.0 m overall 169.4 m waterline
Beam:	24.6 m
Draught:	8.84 m to keel, full load
Propulsion:	2 diesels, 12,000 shp each 2 shafts
Speed:	20 knots
Range:	10,000 nmi (18,500 km) at 14 knots
Complement:	31 officers 102 crew
Armament:	2 × GBM-23/5 Bulkkot
Aircraft carried:	2 × GH-28 helicopter
Aviation facilities:	hangar and flight deck

The Yŏngjŏnggang class is a type of multi-product replenishment oiler built for the Menghean Navy during the 2000s. It is capable of supplying friendly ships with fuel, water, and dry goods, including ammunition. It is capable of resupplying one ship on either side, plus one ship astern with a trailing hose, while resupplying other ships in the area by helicopter.

Design

4-view of the initial design sketch for Yŏngjŏnggang. The as-completed configuration differed slightly in sensors, and sensor fits differed between ships.

BHB-467 Yŏngjŏnggang in 2014, after a minor sensor refit.

The Yŏngjŏnggang-class replenishment oiler has a total of four alongside replenishment (CONREP) masts. The forward pair are used for transferring pallets of break bulk cargo, including food, spare parts, and ammunition. These masts can also be used to move personnel between ships, either on chairs (if healthy) or stretchers (if injured). The aft pair of masts each carry two sets of hoses, and can transfer fuel oil, aviation fuel, potable water, and boiler feed water. The layout of the delivery points on the Yŏngjŏnggang-class replenishment ships influenced the layout of the receiving points on other Menghean warships: the dry cargo receiving point is forward of the fuel and water receiving point, allowing a ship to receive goods of both types simultaneously.

For ship classes, especially smaller ones, that do not have alongside replenishment facilities, the Yŏngjŏnggang class can also trail a hose behind and refuel a following ship over the bow. This mode of fuel transfer is slower due to the smaller-diameter hose, and does not allow transfer of solid cargo.

The quarterdeck is occupied by a large landing area which can also be used to stage supply pallets for lifting and delivery. Just forward of these, inside the aft superstructure, are two hangars for GH-28 helicopters, specifically the baseline "G" variant with hardpoints removed. These helicopters can conduct vertical replenishment, either by loading personnel into the passenger compartment or by carrying cargo pallets slung underneath.

Armament

Defensive armament consists of two GBM-23/5 Bulkkot close-in weapon systems, one facing forward and one facing aft. These provide a small measure of defense against anti-ship missiles and small surface craft. There are also four pintle mounts - two forward, two aft - for 12.7mm heavy machine guns, which are normally stored in lockers aboard the ship. Onboard lockers may also be loaded with YDG-38 shoulder-fired anti-air missiles, to provide additional defense against helicopters and low-flying aircraft.

Taebangang subclass

BHB-467 Taebangang as she appeared when commissioned. The modified CONREP mast markings were added to all replenishment ships in 2012.

In 2010, the Menghean Ministry of National Defense approved a four-ship follow-on group. The ships of the Taebangang subclass can be distinguished from the first four Yŏngjŏnggangs by their main and aft masts, which are solid structures, as opposed to the earlier pyramid frames. These new masts sport newer sensors and electronics, including an electronic warfare suite consisting of the JJ-8 ESM radome and JJ-7 ECM radome. Baram-2 chaff and flare launchers flank the forward superstructure on extended platforms. Taebangang and her sister Saehangang were both named for rivers in ethnic minority regions (the Taivan Gol and Seyhan Gol respectively), and therefore their names are painted in horizontal Dzhungar scrupt.

Export to Medacapre

In 2015, Medacapre signed an agreement on the construction and delivery of two Yŏngjŏnggang-class replenishment ships. They were delivered in 2018 and 2019.

Ships in the class

Menghean replenishment oilers and large supply ships are named for Menghean rivers. The Menghean navy's Yŏngjŏnggang-class ships were built in two batches, with the first batch built during 2001-2006 and production restarted in 2010 for the second batch. Ships in the second batch have some minor differences in their communication equipment, but did not receive a separate class designation in the Menghean Navy.

Menghean Navy

Hull No.	Name	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned	Notes
BHB-463	Yŏngjŏnggang	2001 10 04	2002 12 10	2004 07 18
BHB-464	Wigang	2002 06 21	2003 07 05	2005 03 25
BHB-465	Wŏlgang	2002 12 14	2004 01 29	2005 08 04
BHB-466	Yigang	2004 02 24	2005 03 29	2006 08 03
BHB-467	Taebangang	2010 11 26	2012 02 04	2013 10 09
BHB-468	Saehangang	2011 05 09	2012 07 18	2014 02 06
BHB-469	Ryongtangang	2012 02 25	2013 04 22	2014 09 10
BHB-1460	Damgang	2013 04 24	2014 05 08	2015 11 22

Menghean Navy

Name	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned	Notes
[Meda 1]	2015 10 16	2016 11 19	2018 10 09
[Meda 2]	2016 08 18	2017 10 04	2019 11 07