054/A FFG Thread II

plawolf

Lieutenant General
Great news about the 054 negotiations.

One of the things I have been ideally wondering is what VLS the PN will go for. While it would make a lot of sense for them to wait for the 054B/057 class, to get the new universal VLS, I actually think they will end up going for just the old 054A and its single (or dual, depending on what sources you believe) VLS system.

While the new universal VLS will indeed add a lot more flexibility compared to the current VLS in use on the 054A class, I think a few key factors will push the PN away from that.

The biggest benefit of the universal VLS will be its flexibility in being able to carry both shorter ranged quad-packed SAMs, and long range SAMs, as well as cruise missiles and AShMs and ASROCs (although the 054A's current VLS is claimed to have this last ability already). But that will come at the cost of greater cost (both procurement and operating, as the 054B/057 class is likely to be of a larger displacement, and may carry new developments that the PLAN want, but which the PN might be want to pay extra for, like IEPS etc), risk (newer design), and longer wait time (the PLAN will want to get its ships first before entertaining the idea of exporting it).

Given the realities faced by the PN, I think it might not get the most of the benefits offered by the 054B/057, while it might feel a lot of the costs more acutely.

In terms of flexibility of weapons load, well, the PN's current entire fleet only has short range SAMs, so I think that area is more than adequately covered. In real operationally deployments, I seriously doubt the PN would want to waste any of the VLS cells of a 054 class ship for short range SAMs, and instead want to load it up with as many longer range missiles as possible.

Speaking of longer ranged SAMs, with the massive number of AEGIS class destroyers and cruisers the PLAN has and are planning on, I somehow doubt they will bother putting such a powerful long range radar system on the 054B/057 class, and instead rely on co-operative engagement to make full use of any long range SAMs they might carry.

Without any AEGIS class ships of its own, the PN is unlikely to be able to make the most of any long range SAM carrying capabilities of the 054B/057 class without privately financing the development of a version for AEGIS grade radar and battle management system. That would be far too expensive and unlikely to happen.

Similarly, given the disparity of strengthen between the PN and IN, in any conflict scenario, I think the PN will use its subs for launch cruise missiles attacks rather than risk sending its surface fleet out for such a mission, especially since loading them up for cruise missile attack will make them more vulnerable to attack as it will need to trade SAMs for cruise missiles on its ships.
 

timepass

Brigadier
I think the PN will use its subs for launch cruise missiles attacks rather than risk sending its surface fleet out for such a mission, especially since loading them up for cruise missile attack will make them more vulnerable to attack as it will need to trade SAMs for cruise missiles on its ships.

That is the very reason PN exercise SSK acquisition on priority & put all other projects on less priority.
 

navyreco

Senior Member
China Commissioned the 22nd Type 054A Frigate Xiangtan with PLAN East Sea Fleet
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The guided missile frigate Xiangtan (Hull Number 531) officially joined the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN or Chinese Navy) today. A naming and flag-presenting ceremony was held to mark the commissioning of the Type 054A Frigate to the East Sea Fleet of the PLAN at a naval port in Zhoushan city (China's Zhejiang province) on February 24, 2016. Xiangtan is the 22nd Type 054A Frigate and is assigned to the PLAN's East Sea Fleet.
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FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Your very fast and you point good !

According to the latest information from our sources in China, following the initial order of 24 Type 054A frigates, the Chinese Navy would have recently added an additional order for 8 vessels of the type. However there should be no further Type 054A Frigate commissioned in the PLAN until the end of the year

They going for 32 minimum 24 + 8 replacing Jiangwei I remains one soon retired and presumably Jiangwei II also, last Jianghu possible replaced also by 056 ?
 

asif iqbal

Lieutenant General
32 FFG is a good fleet a very good fleet

In the meantime let's hope we see the next iteration Type 057 or Type 054B or whatever it is called

Seems like China has made progress in electric propulsion that would be a good addition to next FFG programme
 

AndrewS

Brigadier
Registered Member
32 FFG is a good fleet a very good fleet

In the meantime let's hope we see the next iteration Type 057 or Type 054B or whatever it is called

Seems like China has made progress in electric propulsion that would be a good addition to next FFG programme

There's no rush for IEPS until lasers and railguns are ready.

So it's probably best to continue working on and refine the IEPS which is already installed on the 2 coast guard cutters.
 

joshuatree

Captain
But what advantage does IEPS have, given that it's still a relatively new technology that still needs the bugs to appear so they can be designed out?

To quote Wiki which I feel is fairly accurate on this question.

Eliminating the mechanical connection between the engines and the propulsion has several advantages including increased freedom of placement of the engines, acoustical decoupling of the engines from the hull which makes the ship less noisy, and a reduction of weight and volume. Reducing acoustic signature is particularly important to naval vessels seeking to avoid detection and to cruise ships seeking to provide passengers with a pleasant voyage, but is of less benefit to cargo ships. Because ships anyway require electricity even when not underway, having all of the engines produce electricity reduces the number of engines needed compared to more traditional arrangements in which one pool of engines provides electricity and another pool of engines provides propulsion, reducing capital costs and maintenance costs.
 
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