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Type 082I Wosao II class minesweeper

Type 082I (NATO codename: Wosao II), an improved type of 082, entered service after the start of the 21st century. There are two differences between the appearance of this type of boat and the prototype 082 boat integrated harbor minesweeper. One is that the front protective plate of the top open-air bridge is moved forward and conforms to the front wall of the lower bridge without glass protective windows; the other is the mast. It is cylindrical, and Type 082 is a gantry mast. The ship numbers are: 806, 807, 816, 817, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827.

Mainland China has a long coastline, with islands, harbors and even rivers scattered along the coast, and the terrain is quite complex. In order to prevent the enemy's possible mine blockade, the Chinese Navy has maintained a considerable minesweeper fleet for a long time, in addition to building many small river minesweeper boats. Due to the Soviet-style thinking, Chinese mine warships often have considerable artillery capabilities and can be used as regular gunboats. In addition, even mine countermeasures ships have mine-laying capabilities. However, using mine countermeasures as gunboats, in addition to sweeping mines on the water, means a reduction in professionalism; in fact, due to backward thinking and technology, the Chinese Navy’s minesweeping fleet has always been in large numbers. But both equipment and concepts are clearly lagging behind Western standards.

Minesweepers are generally second-line combat ships, and their armed forces are mainly for self-defense. The operation method of minesweeper is to sail back and forth in sea areas where mines are suspected to be present, and use the ship's sweeping equipment to clear and detonate the mines. The biggest difference between minesweepers and mine hunters is that the minesweepers will not first detect the location of individual mines. Therefore, the route and coverage of the minesweeper during the clearance process are very important to ensure that the cleared waters are cleared.