Type 637 tanker is a type of naval auxiliary ship currently in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN).^[1] Originally designed as a type that is capable of transport both water and oil, these ships entered civilian service from 1981 onward, followed by military service, with the oiler version entered service with PLAN first (as of 2015).^[1]Type 637 tanker has received NATO reporting name Fuxiao class.^[2][3][4]

Quick Facts History, PRC ...

History
PRC
Status	Active
General characteristics
Type	Tanker
Displacement	1,400 long tons (1,400 t)
Length	54 m (177 ft 2 in)
Beam	8 m (26 ft 3 in)
Draught	3.5 m (11 ft 6 in)
Propulsion	1 × marine diesel engines, 600 hp (447 kW) 1 shaft
Speed	12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	35
Sensors and processing systems	Navigation radar
Electronic warfare & decoys	None
Aircraft carried	None
Aviation facilities	None

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Type 637 tankers in PLAN service are designated by a combination of two Chinese characters followed by three-digit number. The second Chinese character is You (油), meaning oil in Chinese, because these ships are classified as oilers. The first Chinese character denotes which fleet the ship is service with, with East (Dong, 东) for East Sea Fleet, North (Bei, 北) for North Sea Fleet, and South (Nan, 南) for South Sea Fleet. However, the pennant numbers are subject to change due to changes of Chinese naval ships naming convention, or when units are transferred to different fleets. A unique visual cue that makes Type 637 readily identifiable and distinguished from other Chinese oilers is that its hull is strengthened with additional strips of metal that stretched along the freeboard. Type 637 oiler is capable of carrying three hundred tons of oil.^[1]