Type 022 missile boat

Class overview
Builders: Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, Shanghai
Operators:  People's Liberation Army Navy
Preceded by: Type 037-II-class missile boat & C 14-class missile boat
Cost: Estimates vary from $14.3 million to $50 million[1][2][3]
Built: 2004present
In commission: 2004present
Completed: 83
General characteristics
Displacement:220 long tons (224 t) full load
Length:42.6 m (139 ft 9 in)
Beam:12.2 m (40 ft 0 in)
Draught:1.5 m (4 ft 11 in)
Decks:1
Propulsion:2 diesel engines @ 6,865 hp (5,119 kW) with 4 waterjet propulsors by MARI
Speed:36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Complement:12[4]
Sensors and
processing systems:
Surface search radar: 1 Type 362
Navigational radar: 1
Electro-optics: HEOS 300
Armament:Anti-ship missiles: 8 C-801/802/803 in friction stir welded aluminium missile launch containers[5] or
Land-attack missiles: 8 Hongniao missile-2 long range land attack cruise missiles.[6]
Surface-to-air missiles: FLS-1 surface-to-air launcher with 12 QW class MANPAD missiles
• 1 × licensed copy of KBP AO-18 6-barrel 30 mm gun (AK-630) by ZEERI
Notes:Details remain speculative

The Type 022 (NATO designation: Houbei class) missile boat is a ship class in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. The first boat was launched in April 2004 by the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard at Shanghai. The boats incorporate stealth features and are based on an Australian-designed wave-piercing catamaran hulls that are more stable than other fast missile craft in high sea conditions.[7] Approximately 83 of these missile boats are currently in service with three flotillas having been produced over a span of seven years.[1]

Design

The Houbei class fast attack craft are China's entry into a growing list of missile-armed attack craft which include Finland's Hamina class missile boat, and Norway's Skjold class patrol boat. The Australian AMD cataraman design may mean as much as a 50% reduction in vessel speed penalty in high sea conditions (in which monohulls may only perform at half or less of their maximum capability). Further, seasickness and disorientation is significantly reduced, improving the combat readiness/situational awareness of the small-craft operators during such conditions.

In addition to the stealthy polygonal-designed superstructure with its stealthy gun mount, the Houbei has an advanced C4 datalink[8] that may represent some kind of capability to allow AWACS planes or other ships to vector the Type 22's missiles.

Capabilities

The Type 022 is designed to patrol China's coastal zones out to close neighboring island countries. Each of the 83 ships is armed with eight anti-ship missiles, so large numbers of missile craft firing in salvos can potentially overwhelm an enemy fleet, including an aircraft carrier battle group. Historically however, small missile boats have fared poorly in major naval confrontations against submarines and aircraft. Even though China is increasing its aircraft capabilities and surface-to-air missile defenses, the Type 022 would still be vulnerable to attack by submarines because of China's limited anti-submarine capabilities.[9]

See also

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Axe, David (August 4, 2011). "China Builds Fleet of Small Warships While U.S. Drifts". Wired.com. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
  2. http://www.defencetalk.com/china-type-022-fast-attack-craft-31589
  3. http://www.informationdissemination.net/2009/08/janes-discusses-chinese-streetfighter.html
  4. Catamarans Glide Through Chinese Waters
  5. Fred Delany, Stephan W Kallee, Mike J Russell: Friction Stir Welding of Aluminium Ships, Paper presented at 2007 International Forum on Welding Technologies in the Shipping Industry (IFWT). Held in conjunction with the Beijing Essen Welding and Cutting Fair in Shanghai, 16–19 June 2007.
  6. "HN-2".
  7. http://chinadailymail.com/2012/06/02/chinas-houbei-class-fast-speed-missile-boats/
  8. http://www.afcea.org/content/?q=node/1433
  9. China Builds Fleet of Small Warships While U.S. Drifts - Wired.com, 4 August 2011

External links