MK socksater Command sail in formation en route to a multi-subject training exercise in East China Sea. The ships' journey took two days from October 13 to 14 before reaching the training waters. Photo:China Military" src="https://www.globaltimes.cn/Portals/0/attachment/2023/2023-10-31/a33fc535-d475-42c0-a1e0-1c27af660451.jpeg" />

Ships attached to a destroyer flotilla with the navy under the PLA Eastern Theater Command sail in formation en route to a multi-subject training exercise in East China Sea. The ships' journey took two days from October 13 to 14 before reaching the training waters. Photo:China Military

 
A Chinese naval researcher recently revealed that her work on anti-corrosion technologies is contributing to extending warships' service life. An analyst said on Wednesday that corrosion protection is a key aspect that directly affects the generation of combat capabilities.

Cao Jingyi, a research fellow at the Chinese People's Liberation Army's (PLA) Naval Research Academy, has dedicated more than 30 years of military service to corrosion protection and new materials development for Chinese warships, the military channel of China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Tuesday.

"We are somewhat like veteran doctors in traditional Chinese medicine, as we research ways to prolong and extend the service life of equipment," Cao was quoted as saying.

It can take years or even decades to conduct an experiment to verify the anti-corrosion effect of a type of coating to be practically applied on warships, according to the report.

Corrosion can be highly detrimental to warships' combat capability, because a small rust hole could lead to the abortion of a mission, Cao said.

Under the naval gray hull coating, different layers serve specific functions, Cao said, explaining that the hull coating needs to be resistant to different weather conditions, the deck coating needs to be anti-skidding, the hull bottom coating needs to be antisepsis and resistant to the growth of marine organisms, and the coating in the ship's interior needs to be environmentally friendly.

Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday that high temperatures, high humidity and high salinity environments at sea can cause severe corrosion to warships, affecting their weapons, equipment and munitions, potentially even rendering them out of action and severely impacting combat capabilities and logistics support capabilities.

This is why corrosion protection is a fundamental component in sustaining a navy's combat capabilities, Song said, noting that maritime environments are very complex, so corrosion protection has been challenging for many countries in the world.

Compared with US Navy warships, which are often spotted with visible rust, the PLA Navy's warships have always been kept clean even after lengthy far seas operations, Song noted.

Many of the Chinese warships are newly built compared with the US ones, and new anti-corrosion technologies could be applied. Another crucial factor is daily maintenance, as Chinese sailors meticulously maintain their warships and keep weapons and equipment on board in optimal condition at all times, Song said, adding that this combination of technology and rigorous upkeep ensures PLA Navy vessels remain rust-free, reinforcing combat effectiveness.