Chinese Naval Export: News, Views, Pics & Videos

peterAustralia said:

Trinidad and Tobago buying 1800t OPVs seemed very weird to me. Trinidad, the largest island is 80km x 60km, Tobago is much smaller. Logic would suggest that a larger number of smaller boats would make much more sense. Even Australia with a huge coastline uses 280t patrol boats. Yes these have been found to be a bit too small, however thats more how they are used as opposed to their design. You would have thought that 400t patrol boat would be heaps, even 200t might do, maybe even some smaller ones still. At 30 knots a patrol boat could travel all around the island in a few hours.

Looks as though the head of the navy wanted a large ship to feel important.

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We see the export versions of the type 056 as usually being bigger. Perhaps they can build a stripped down or shortened version for countries like T&T? No hangar, no landing pad? Single propeller? Make it under 1000t?

joshuatree said:

We see the export versions of the type 056 as usually being bigger. Perhaps they can build a stripped down or shortened version for countries like T&T? No hangar, no landing pad? Single propeller? Make it under 1000t?

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That's not a stripped down or shortened version, that's a new design.

delft said:

That's not a stripped down or shortened version, that's a new design.

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Maybe for a single prop, but don't think necessarily when it comes to removing hangar and pad. Afterall, all these ships are now modular construction.

If we consider different versions as new designs, they are still derived from the original design so it's not like R&D from scratch.

kwaigonegin said:

There is no way a nation with less than $30B GDP can afford 6 modern frigates and LPDs nor do they need them. Not just in actual assets but you have to have a pretty mature navy and overall military organization to operate and support such vessels.

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Well, at the present it looks like Trinidad is looking at just two of the Chinese built 1,800 tons OPVs. I do believe they will be able to handle those.

The Three Amazon Class OPVs they cancelled were fairly expensive, and they now have ultimately been sold to Brazil and commissionied for about $75 million each. Here are their specs:

Displacement: 1,700 tons
Length: 265 ft.
Beam: 43 ft.
Draft: 11.5 ft.
Propulsion
2 x 16C128/33 Diesels
2 x Shafts
Speed: 25 knots
Crew: 80
Armament:
1 x 30mm auto cannon
2 x 25mm cannons
2 x 12.7 mm MGs
Helicopter: Landing pad only

So, Trinidad canceled those vessels, won the arbitration settlement regarding them, and then Brazil picked them up. In the mean time, Trinidad is now looking at the Chinese vessels. And they cost quite a bit less. The ones Nigeria bought, which is what I believe Trinidad is looking at too, were $42 million each. Significantly cheaper. Here are their specs:

Displacement: 1,800 tons
Length: 303 ft.
Beam: 40 ft.
Draft: 11.5 ft.
Propulsion
2 x 20V 4000 Diesels
2 x Shafts
Speed: 21 knots
Crew: 70
Armament:
1 x 76mm DP gunn
2 x 30mm auto cannons
2 x 12.7 mm MGs
Helicopter: Hanger and pad for one medium helo

Larger, more heavily armed, carry their own helo, fewer crew and they are over $30 million dollars cheaper each. Even though they are a little slower, I believe they also have further endurance.

From all outward appearances, it looks like Trinidad is getting a heck of a deal in the trade off.

T&T payed more than $2 billion back in 2007 for the three British built OPV, so they have the money. Besides Chinese bank is likely providing the loan to fund the purchase and China will pay for many infrastructure developments in T&T in return. China is very eager to develop close commercial ties with Caribbean nations. Last year, Xi Jing Ping made a three days visit to T&T. One problem is that China enjoys a large trade surplus with all the Caribbean countries, so it is trying to find some ways to give some back in form of loans, infrastructure development and increased number of Chinese tourists.
T&T do need more coast guard vessels.

They are also buying small fast patrol boats.

shen said:

T&T is not exactly poor either, with a GDP per capita of over $20,000 and a high HDI rating. Been next door to Columbia and Venezuela, they do have security concern such as arms and drug smuggling and their EEZ has major natural gas resource.
T&T previously planned to buy three OPVs built in Britain.

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That contract was terminated in 2010. The stated reason is delay and deficiency on the part of the builder, but domestic politics probably also played a part. The contract was made by the previous government, the 2010 election resulted in a new government which cancelled the contract.

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Politically, T&T seems to be split along ethnic line, with roughly equal percentage of population with African or Indian ancestry.
The OPV deal with China is part of a larger infrastructure development deal.

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Did I say T&T is poor?

Man the Chinese are killing the west in the small battleship market

philbob said:

Man the Chinese are killing the west in the small battleship market

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Don't think they are quite "killing" the West but you can say that Chinese naval exports are increasing

Don't think this pic was posted on this forum before. F92 for Nigeria and F111 & F112 for Bangladesh.

I renamed this thread and moved joshuatree's post so we can put future export ship related news here.