Type-037-IG (Houxin)

The Type 037IG (Houxin class) is a class of missile patrol boats developed and operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy. These vessels are designed for coastal patrol, anti-surface warfare, and are typically armed with anti-ship missiles and naval guns.

Developed in the late 1980s as a modernization of the Type 037 submarine chaser hull, the Type 037IG was designed to provide the People's Liberation Army Navy with an affordable, missile-armed littoral combatant to replace aging Soviet-designed fast attack craft. The lead vessel of the class entered active service in 1991, with approximately 20 units constructed by Chinese shipyards throughout the decade. While they did not see direct combat, these vessels were heavily deployed for sovereignty patrols in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea, and six units were exported to the Myanmar Navy. Today, the class has been largely phased out of active Chinese service in favor of modern Type 056 corvettes, though several remain in auxiliary roles or foreign service.