The comprehensive replenishment ship Fuxianhu affiliated with a detachment under the Nansha Garrison of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) South Sea Fleet conducts multi-course training exercises at an undisclosed region in the South China Sea in June 2025. Photo: Screenshot from WeChat account of the PLA South Sea Fleet

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy's Nansha Garrison recently deployed two dedicated replenishment ships to collaborate with helicopters in recent multi-course training sessions in the South China Sea, aiming to boost the troops' comprehensive combat capabilities. An expert on Monday highlighted the vessels' importance in safeguarding Chinese islands and reefs.

The Luguhu and the Fuxianhu, both affiliated with a detachment under the Nansha Garrison, recently formed a vessel formation and conducted round-the-clock multi-course training exercises at an undisclosed region in the South China Sea, according to a WeChat release from the PLA South Sea Fleet on Monday.

Focusing on fields such as formation navigation, joint maritime search and rescue, as well as shipborne helicopter takeoff and landing at nighttime, the training sessions were designed to be strict, challenging and combat-oriented, the PLA South Sea Fleet said, noting that that the training honed the troops' comprehensive combat capabilities in realistic scenarios and concrete practices.

Photos released by the PLA South Sea Fleet show that during one of the training sessions, the Luguhu released fast boats carrying troops armed with Type 95 assault rifles. In an apparent search and rescue training session, a small boat released by the Fuxianhu moved forward to a position close to an airborne Z-9 multirole helicopter. Another training session saw a Z-8 transport helicopter landing on one of the ships at nighttime under dim light.

According to official media reports, the Luguhu and the Fuxianhu are comprehensive replenishment ships built specifically for the Nansha Garrison to complete tasks such as troop rotation and goods supply.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Monday that these ships can release small boats to transport troops and supplies to islands and reefs of Nansha Qundao. He noted that waters could be too shallow for large vessels to approach some islands and reefs, so the Luguhu and the Fuxianhu are designed to carry small boats. Another dedicated design is the helicopter deck that enables vertical transport. Supplies can also be delivered to other vessels that operate around Nansha Qundao.

These dedicated replenishment vessels play significant roles in the safeguarding of Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea, as they can provide sufficient goods that the garrison troops need in a single replenishment mission, Zhang said.

The recent training can boost the ships' capabilities in carrying out their missions, Zhang said, highlighting that the search and rescue part of the training could be helpful not only in wartime, but also in peacetime.