An older warship can be useful even when its remaining front-line life is short. A yard can use the refit to learn how new systems fit, which work sequences fail, and what skills the workforce still needs. Mistakes on a ship already close to disposal cost less than mistakes on a combatant expected to remain effective for another fifteen years. The approach turns modernisation of an obsolescent hull into practical training for later work on more important ships. Repeated work of this kind helped improve Chinese naval construction and support.
Notable Point · 1:52:49-1:53:47
Older warships can train a yard for harder refits
Refitting an expendable older hull lets a shipyard learn new systems and methods before it modernises a more valuable combatant.