Type 054A frigate

Type 054A frigate Yueyang (575)
Class overview
Builders:
Operators:  People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force
Preceded by: Type 054 frigate
Subclasses:
Cost: ¥ 1.58 billion
Building: 5 as of May 2015[1]
Active: 22
General characteristics
Type: Frigate
Displacement: 4,053 tonnes (full)(CCTV report)
Length: 134.1 m (440 ft)(CCTV report)
Beam: 16 m (52 ft) (CCTV report)
Propulsion: CODAD, 4 x Shaanxi 16 PA6 STC diesels, 5700 kW (7600+ hp @ 1084 rpm) each
Speed: 27 kn estimated
Range: 8025 nautical miles estimated
Complement: 165
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Type 382 Radar (Upgraded from Type 381 Radar "Sea Eagle S/C") 3D air/surface search radar
  • Type 344 Radar (Mineral-ME Band Stand) OTH target acquisition and SSM fire control radar
  • 4 × Type 345 Radar(MR-90 Front Dome) SAM fire control radars
  • MR-36A surface search radar, I-band
  • Type 347G 76 mm gun fire control radar
  • 2 × Racal RM-1290 navigation radars, I-band
  • MGK-335 medium frequency active/passive sonar system
  • ZKJ-4B/6 (developed from Thomson-CSF TAVITAC) combat data system
  • HN-900 Data link (Chinese equivalent of Link 11A/B, to be upgraded)
  • SNTI-240 SATCOM
  • AKD5000S Ku band SATCOM
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
Armament:
  • 1 × 32-cell VLS
  • 2 × 4 C-803 anti-ship / land attack cruise missiles
  • 1 × PJ26 76 mm dual purpose gun
  • 2 × Type 730 7-barrel 30 mm CIWS guns or Type 1130
  • 2 × 3 324mm YU-7 ASW torpedo launchers
  • 2 × 6 Type 87 240mm anti-submarine rocket launcher (36 rockets carried)
  • 2 × Type 726-4 18-tube decoy rocket launchers
Aircraft carried: 1 Kamov Ka-28 'Helix' or Harbin Z-9C
Aviation facilities: hangar

The Type 054A (NATO codename Jiangkai II) frigate is a class of Chinese multi-role frigates, the first of which entered service with the People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force in 2007. The class is planned to comprise 24+ vessels. As of 2016, 22 are in service, 1 is fitting out, and 2 are under construction. It is a development of the Type 054 frigate, using the same hull but with improved sensors and weapons.

The Type 054A was first revealed while under construction at the Guangzhou-based Huangpu Shipyard in 2005.

Improvements over Type 054

The Type 054A carries HQ-16 medium-range air defence missiles and various anti submarine rockets in a VLS system. The HQ-16 provides area air defence from all engagement angles up to a range of 50 km, a considerable improvement over the HQ-7 carried on the Type 054 which have inferior range and limited engagement angles. Contrary to HQ-9 VLS on Type 052C destroyer which adopts a cold launch method, HQ-16 appears to adopt a hot launch method instead, with the same design principle of US Mk 41 VLS: a shared common exhaust system is sited between the two rows of rectangular launching tubes.The VLS system is also capable of firing anti-submarine missiles.[2]

The 4 AK-630 close-in weapon systems (CIWS) of the Type 054 were replaced with 2 Type 730 CIWS on the Type 054A. The autonomous Type 730 provides improved reaction time against close-in threats.[3]

The 100 mm main gun on earlier Type 054 class is replaced by H/PJ26 stealthy 76 mm dual purpose gun mount, which is a Chinese development of Russian AK-176. The adoption of smaller caliber gun is the result of the need of higher rate of fire for air defense, including sea-skimming anti-ship missiles. H/PJ26 utilizes advanced synthetic material such as fiber glass to a much greater degree than the original AK-176, resulting in over 30% of weight reduction to 11.5 ton of H/PJ26, as opposed to the 16.8+ tons of AK-176.

Another improvement of Type 054A over the original Type 054 (as well other older ships in the People's Liberation Army Navy) is its information systems (IS) for maintenance and inventory control, which automatically provides information to shore based facilities or supply ships on the parts in need, to the last detail, so that parts in need can be provided more quickly. The resulting down time due to maintenance & repair is reduced to a fraction of what it is for older vessels without this IS system. The Chinese have termed this IS for maintenance and inventory control another force multiplier because it increased availability for deployment by reducing downtime.

The Type 054A retains its predecessor's stealth features, including sloped hull design, radar absorbent materials, and a clean profile.[4]

Type 054A+

An improved variant beginning with the 18th unit launched from Huangpu Shipyard in 2009[5] has the 7-barrelled Type 730 CIWS replaced by the more capable 11-barrelled Type 1130, and is unofficially referred as Type 54A+.[6] Another reported improvement over the original Type 054A includes the incorporation of variable depth sonar and towed array sonar.[7]

Operations

Type 054A frigate made first operational deployment to Gulf of Aden, when FFG-570 Huangshan set sail as part of 2nd Escort Flotilla/Task Group 167 on 2 April 2009, the Escort Flotilla arrive there on 13 April 2009, and take over form 1st Escort Flotilla/Task Group 169 on 15 April 2009. Since then 11 type 054A have deployed to Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations.

In the lead-up to the Libyan civil war, the FFG-530 Xuzhou was deployed from anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden to help evacuate Chinese nationals from Libya.

In January 2014, the FFG-546 Yancheng was redeployed from anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden to the eastern Mediterranean Sea to escort Syrian chemical weapons destined for destruction.[8]

Export

Thailand

In Feb 2013, China offered to sell Thailand 3 customized 054A frigates ("054T") for 30 billion Thai baht ($1 billion USD) total.[9] However, in April 2013 it was reported that South Korea had won the Royal Thai navy's frigate bid with 1 modified Gwanggaeto the Great-class destroyers at 13 billion Thai baht each.[10][11]

Russia

In Early 2015, it was reported that Russia might consider buying 054A for its navy.[12][13]

Malaysia

According to a news report at LIMA 2015, the Royal Malaysian Navy will buy the C28A corvette export variant of the Chinese multi-role warship.[14][15]


Ships of Class

Number Pennant number Name Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status
1 FFG-529 舟山/Zhoushan Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 21 December 2006 3 January 2008 East Sea Fleet Active
2 FFG-530 徐州/Xuzhou Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 30 September 2006 27 January 2008 East Sea Fleet Active
3 FFG-570 黄山/Huangshan Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 18 March 2007 13 May 2008 South Sea Fleet Active
4 FFG-568 衡阳/Hengyang Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 23 May 2007 30 June 2008 South Sea Fleet Active
5 FFG-571 运城/Yuncheng Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 8 February 2009 27 January 2010 South Sea Fleet Active
6 FFG-569 玉林/Yulin Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 28 April 2009 1 February 2010 South Sea Fleet Active
7 FFG-548 益阳/Yiyang Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 17 November 2009 26 October 2010 East Sea Fleet Active
8 FFG-549 常州/Changzhou Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 18 May 2010 30 May 2011 East Sea Fleet Active
9 FFG-538 烟台/Yantai Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 24 August 2010 30 July 2011 North Sea Fleet Active
10 FFG-546 盐城/Yancheng Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 27 April 2011 5 June 2012 North Sea Fleet Active
11 FFG-572 衡水/Hengshui Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 21 May 2011 9 July 2012 South Sea Fleet Active
12 FFG-547 临沂/Linyi Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 13 December 2011 22 December 2012 North Sea Fleet Active
13 FFG-573 柳州/Liuzhou Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 10 December 2011 26 December 2012 South Sea Fleet Active
14 FFG-575 岳阳/Yueyang Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 9 May 2012 3 May 2013 South Sea Fleet Active
15 FFG-550 潍坊/Weifang Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 9 July 2012 22 June 2013 North Sea Fleet Active
16 FFG-574 三亚/Sanya Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 30 November 2012 13 December 2013 South Sea Fleet Active
17 FFG-577 黄冈/Huanggang Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 28 April 2013 16 January 2015 East Sea Fleet Active
18 FFG-576 大庆/Daqing Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 8 October 2013 16 January 2015 North Sea Fleet Active
19 FFG-579 邯郸/Handan Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 26 July 2014 16 August 2015 North Sea Fleet Active
20 FFG-578 扬州/Yangzhou Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 30 September 2013 21 September 2015 East Sea Fleet Active
21 FFG-532 荆州/Jingzhou Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 22 January 2015 5 January 2016 East Sea Fleet Active
22 FFG-531 湘潭/Xiangtan Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 19 March 2015 24 February 2016 East Sea Fleet Active
23 FFG-535 Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 13 December 2015 South Sea Fleet Sea Trail
24 FFG-536 许昌/Xuchang Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou 30 May 2016 South Sea Fleet Sea Trail
25 FFG-551 Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding 8 June 2016 North Sea Fleet Fitting Out
26 FFG-552 Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou North Sea Fleet Under Construction
27 Huangpu Shipyard Guangzhou Under Construction

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ United States Office of the Secretary of Defense (8 May 2015). Annual Report To Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China 2015 (PDF) (Report). p. 9. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  2. ↑ 舰载武器SHIPBORNE WEAPONS 2013 AUGUST ISSUE
  3. ↑ http://mil.jschina.com.cn/huitong/Jiangkai_Jiangwei.htm
  4. ↑ http://www.sinodefence.com/navy/surface/type054a-jiangkai-ii.asp
  5. ↑ 1st Type 054A+ launced
  6. ↑ Type 1130 CIWS on Type 054A+
  7. ↑ Sonar housing on Type 054A+
  8. ↑ http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Chinese-warship-in-Cyprus-to-aid-Syrian-chemical-weapons-removal-337057
  9. ↑ http://defenseupdates.blogspot.com/2013/02/thailand-to-negotiate-purchase-of-3.html
  10. ↑ http://news.securemymind.com/689.html
  11. ↑ http://thaipublica.org/2013/08/frigate/
  12. ↑ http://www.inews163.com/2015/04/17/russian-media-the-russian-warships-054a-can-be-purchased-from-china-is-the-best-choice-123334.html
  13. ↑ http://www.wantchinatimes.com/news-subclass-cnt.aspx?id=20140930000078&cid=1101
  14. ↑ "Malaysia Keen To Buy China Warships | Malaysian Defence". www.malaysiandefence.com. Retrieved 2015-05-24.
  15. ↑ "RMK11 Tabled | Malaysian Defence". www.malaysiandefence.com. Retrieved 2015-05-24.

External links

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