▁was ▁man ned ▁by ▁ 1 9 ▁civil ian ▁mar in ers ▁under ▁the ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Military ▁Se al ift ▁Command ▁( MS C ) ▁and ▁staff ed ▁with ▁five ▁spons ors . ▁ ▁She ▁is ▁of ▁a ▁small ▁water plane ▁area ▁tw in ▁h ull ▁( SW ATH ) ▁design , ▁similar ▁to ▁a ▁cat amar an , ▁which ▁provides ▁a ▁stable ▁platform ▁for ▁to wing ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁S UR TA SS ▁son ar ▁arrays . ▁ ▁Inc idents ▁with ▁China ▁▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Victor ious ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁one ▁of ▁a ▁string ▁of ▁inc idents ▁between ▁US ▁research ▁ships ▁and ▁Chinese ▁ships . ▁While ▁operating ▁in ▁international ▁waters , ▁roughly ▁ 1 2 0   m iles ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁main land ▁China ▁in ▁the ▁Y ellow ▁Sea , ▁a ▁Chinese ▁Bureau ▁of ▁Fish eries ▁Pat rol ▁vessel ▁used ▁a ▁high - int ens ity ▁spot light ▁to ▁ill uminate ▁the ▁entire ▁length ▁of ▁Victor ious ▁several ▁times . ▁The ▁following ▁day , ▁a ▁Chinese ▁Y - 1 2 ▁mar itime ▁surve ill ance ▁aircraft ▁conducted ▁ 1 2   fly - b ys ▁of ▁Victor ious ▁at ▁an ▁alt itude ▁of ▁about ▁ ▁and ▁a ▁range ▁of ▁ 5 0 0   y ards . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁Victor ious ▁was ▁again ▁har ass ed ▁by ▁Chinese ▁ships , ▁this ▁time ▁while ▁operating ▁in ▁the ▁Y ellow ▁Sea . ▁ ▁The