Type 037 class submarine chaser is also known as the Hainan class, designed by China to replace the Soviet S.O.-1 class submarine chaser. Early units had Dual Purposes Mk 26 76.2 mm guns and Russian RBU-1200 ASW rocket launchers, but eventually, these were replaced by Chinese Type 66 twin 57 mm guns and Type 81 ASW rocket launchers (the Chinese version of RBU-1200). The original Skin Head radar has been replaced by the Pot Head radar. In addition to ASW missions, these simple yet effective units are also capable of a wide variety of missions such as mine laying and patrol.

Exports and successors

Over 70 were built, but as newer submarine chasers enter service, this class is being transferred into reserves. A number of these have been exported to Bangladesh, Egypt, North Korea, Pakistan and Myanmar. Type 037 Hainan class is also the base of Type 206 class gunboat, also known as Huludao class.

Operational service

During the Sino-South Vietnamese naval clashes on January 19, 1974, two boats of this class, # 281 & # 282 (two out of the 8 total in Chinese inventory) participated in the latter half of the battle, the fastest Chinese units in the conflict. Originally the units were waiting at Yongxing Islands, but due to the problem of communications (mainly due to the backwardness of the Chinese communication gear), they were not notified until the battle was already in progress.

Electronics

• Radar: 1 Pot Head surface search radar
• Sonar: 1 Soviet Tamir-II hull mounted high frequency active sonar

External links

• Type 037 Hainan Class Anti-Submarine Patrol Craft