PLA Navy's crucible of future warship leaders
For almost four decades, the Zheng He has served as an operational classroom and floating instrument of China's maritime diplomacy
Technology forward
While the vessel's hull has aged, its internal training infrastructure has undergone constant modernization. Responding to past criticisms that an aging auxiliary ship could not replicate modern combat systems, electrical engineering officer Cheng Bo spent three months fabricating a custom electrical control system model out of discarded components.
Thanks to this new teaching aid, cadets can quickly grasp abstract electrical principles.
"By leveraging technology to break through teaching bottlenecks and moving beyond the limitations of traditional practical training, we ensure that every extra effort we put into instructional support translates into fewer difficulties for our cadets in the future," Cheng said.
In recent years, the ship's classrooms have been upgraded with digital modeling, virtual war-gaming and high-fidelity ship-handling simulators. Trainees now run command drills and situational briefings in replicated sea conditions, learning operational plotting and real-time threat analysis before ever taking command of a front-line destroyer or frigate.
Lin Qiuming, an officer from a unit in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province, who trained aboard the Zheng He three years ago, was impressed during a recent return visit by the new ship-handling simulator, a system that replicates control equipment and complex sea environments.
Free from the constraints of weather or range, it allows trainees to conduct command drills and post-training reviews at any time.
"Back then, I could only watch without hands-on practice, so I never felt fully confident. Now, with intelligent equipment for repeated drills, training efficiency and quality have improved dramatically," Lin said.
To hone targeted skills, navigation officer Li Yiming and his team have meticulously designed training "menus" organized by specialty, offering flexible observation and training stops to help cadets quickly familiarize themselves with navigation operations.
Working with other vessels in a flotilla, Li compiled a video database of 119 model training positions across eight categories, including navigation, gunnery, communications and engineering.
During a recent main-engine failure simulation, engineering officer Gu Bin demonstrated why technical mastery alone is insufficient for future commanders. When a cadet asked why engine technicians needed to study fleet tactics while fixing a drive shaft, Gu offered a broader perspective.
"Repair work is not purely technical. It requires contextual decision-making. Sometimes, abandoning a compartment may be the best choice for the overall mission," Gu said. "In the future, you will be responsible for a warship, a formation, a fleet. If your perspective is too narrow, you cannot be a qualified commander."
