Type 054A frigate

Type 054A frigate Yueyang (575)
Class overview
Builders:	Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard Huangpu Shipyard
Operators:	People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force
Preceded by:	Type 054 frigate
Subclasses:	Type 054A Type 054A+
Cost:	¥ 1.58 billion
Building:	5 as of May 2015[1]
Active:	21
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:	Type 922-1 radar warning receiver HZ-100 ECM & ELINT system Kashtan-3 missile jamming system
Armament:	1 × 32-cell VLS HQ-16 SAM / anti submarine rocket launcher 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 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, 21 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]

Ships of Class

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 2 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]

Gallery

• 

  Aft-deck of frigate Yiyang (548). In this image, US Navy sailors are boarding to meet prior to conducting a bilateral counter-piracy exercise. Visible on the flight deck is a Harbin Z-9 helicopter

• 

  HQ-16 VLS SAM launchers on Type 054A Frigate Xuzhou

• 

  The frigate Zhoushan (529) Moored on the Huangpu River in Shanghai

• 

  The frigate Huangshi (576)

References

External links

• Chinese Defense Today page
• Chinese Navy

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