054 Series Frigate Thread 2

[tphuang]

So, I will try to start it with a bang. You can see all the photos of the new 054 series frigate that is finally revealing itself nicely in HP. We see the bridge pretty nicely now, but would probably see a lot more once they start putting on the sensors. Any comments on this?






If you compare it to 054A
http://www.sinodefence.com/navy/surf...angkai_03large
and 054
http://www.defencetalk.com/pictures/...edium/525a.jpg
the lines leading to the bow actually looks more like 054. The bridge looks like 054A although it has those smaller windows. Are they doing that to reduce RCS? Need to see where they are putting the front mast.

[AssassinsMace]

Here's another angle posted on CDF.

http://www.china-defense.com/forum/u...1221394104.jpg


Moderator's Note: No image cross linking to the CDF. I recommend that anyone should just go directly visit the thread and the link. Image link attribute removed. - crobato

[tphuang]

Here's another angle posted on CDF.

[qimg]http://www.china-defense.com/forum/uploads/post-538-1221394104.jpg[/qimg]

I actually have this picture. I intentionally did not post it because it doesn't show anything extra. And also, please do not use image links from CDF, because they might complain and some member may have trouble seeing them if they haven't visited the CDF 054A thread.

[AssassinsMace]

Okay. I just wish SDF would allow more attachment space. It would make it a whole lot easier. The whole image shack thing takes too long too.

I thought that's why you didn't post it. I was intending to add some comparison shots of the other 54s and 52s because all this ship building is confusing if this is a 54 or 52 because it looks like a 52 hull but decided not to and just wait to see what others had to say.

[crobato]

The superstructure seems 054 enough. I guess that this should be the 054B, and it has gone back to using the beveled forecastle of the 054.

[planeman]

The windows just haven't been fitted yet (they will be cut out of the steel).

The superstructure looks 054A but the bow doesn't, it has inward canted sides like on 052.

[crobato]

The windows just haven't been fitted yet (they will be cut out of the steel).

The superstructure looks 054A but the bow doesn't, it has inward canted sides like on 052.

Like I said, the original 054 also had this bevel on the bow, but removed on the 054A. Still there is a slight difference in the bevel of the two ships, and it looks a bit closer to the 052B here.

[mehdi]

Very interesting indeed, I was looking at the pics of the 054A and the 052B and it seems to be that this new ship could be a 052B with VLS. Perhaps I'm right or perhaps I'm wrong but this ship looks huge to me !!!

[crobato]

If that is a 052B with VLS, the VLS, missile and fire control system could be from the 054A's, meaning based on the HHQ-16.

It would have a surprising implication, meaning this ship is not 054B but 052D, and that HH-16 is better accepted than the 052C's HH-9.

[Totoro]

I'd say that's least likely possibility as hq16 and hq9 are two different classes of missiles. They both adress different needs, yet both needs exist and must be addressed. Thus, both 054 and 052 classes are needed. While some future variant of 052 may carry diffferent missile than what 052c carries today, that missile will be a long ranged missile in the s-300/sm-2 class. That is a given.

[tphuang]

Very interesting indeed, I was looking at the pics of the 054A and the 052B and it seems to be that this new ship could be a 052B with VLS. Perhaps I'm right or perhaps I'm wrong but this ship looks huge to me !!!

It looks slightly bigger than 054/A, but not 052B size. But maybe my eyes are playing tricks and it really is no bigger than 054A.

More pictures.




This is comparing the new 054 frigate with 054A frigate. Any thoughts?

[FugitiveVisions]

Looks to be pretty similar in size. Too similar for the ships to be of different classes.

[crobato]

I have the feeling that the new hull might be slightly longer though.

[Quickie]

The new ship seems to have a sharper bow compared to the rounder bow of the 054A. The stern of the new ship seems to be higher too, though it may be just the scaffolding itself.

[crobato]

Given the relative state of the hull in Hudong vs. Huangpu, its not looking good for Hudong, especially after that crane collapsed on top of the ship. The collapse spared the ship, but Hudong, already behind compared to Huangpu, can't continue the ship to a certain point until that crane is rebuilt.