054/A FFG Thread II

[adeptitus]

Here's a pic of the Adelaide class:

It's a good upgrade, but probably shouldn't be compared to newer designed all-VLS ships. A better comparison would be the 4th ROKS KDX-II Frigate, Wang Geon with 2 x 32-cel VLS in front. It'd qualify for the 64-SAM count without quad packing.

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If I were to mentally picture a 6,000 ton loaded displacement 054X frigate, it'd have European frigate style layout with:

* Lightweight Main Gun
* 48-cel VLS (in front) with medium-ranged SAM
* 8 x SSM
* 2 x 30mm CIWS
* 1-2 x FL-3000N with short-ranged SAM
* Torpedoes
* ASW Helicopter w/Hanger

To build a ship with VLS cels in forward and aft, I think it'd make more sense to go with larger displacement like KDX-III.

 

[crobato]

Classical definition of Frigate---

Warship during the Age of Sail, marked with a single or two line of guns. This is in contrast to the Ships of the Line that can mount as many as 3 or 4 lines or decks of guns each.

The frigate while not having the sheer firepower of the Ships of the Line, which were the battleships of the day, were far more seaworthy, easier to handle and maneuverable. They were designed to operate independently in the blue seas for long periods of time.

Thus they were in effect, cruisers of the day.

The old classic definition of the USN for frigate was DL or Destroyer Leader. This meant cruisers, and led to some large cruisers being designated as "frigates". In 1975, there was a reform in the classification system. Frigates or Destroyer Leaders were redesignated as cruisers, and Frigates became Destroyer Escorts, which is the accepted term today.

But not with the Europeans, where the classic sailing frigate served as the cornerstone of their navies. This old term stuck. The French for example, refer to all their surface warships, including what others would already call as destroyers, as frigates, but give classifications like Type I, Type II or so on. The Horizon class might be a Type I, the Lafayette class a Type II. Other countries, like Japan, for example, doesn't use the term frigate, but instead uses the term DE or Destroyer Escort.

The F100 class frigate should be classed as a destroyer in other terms. The radar it has is the SPY-1D, D being Destroyer, in contrast to the SPY-1F, F for frigate, that were fitted on true frigate/destroyer escorts. But then again, Europeans don't see frigates as destroyer-lite.

 

[williamhou]

The red banners with yellow writing in those pictures actually says "Do not take pictures".

And they put it on VLS, as if it is useful :rofl:

 

[tphuang]

a couple of pictures of 054A under construction in HD shipyard, the third one there. It actually looks like not that much work has been done in the past month, kind of disappointing progress really.

 

[crobato]

I'm not sure about the no progress part. Looks to me the both masts and funnels are already installed and there is gong to be a lot of work that has to be done inside as well. It looks to me shaping up quickly and the ship already is quite recognizable.

 

[crobato]

Ship on exercise.

 

[kickars]

Saw the news yesterday on CCTV news which says 054A has a fully loaded displacement of 4053 ton, which is about what most people thought at first place, no surprise here. But that means this latest FFG is about 500 ton more than the old 051 DDG. Just shows how things have changed in the past 30 or so years.

Here is a link in Chinese:

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[tphuang]

well, not entirely sure if we can trust those numbers considering the 052B numbers were inconsistently reported.

anyhow, this is interesting
054A动力16PA6STC国产化中
中国船舶年报

项 目 年末余额
6、16PA6STC柴油机改进提高 6,000,000.00
basically in China's shipbuilding annual paper, they mentioned one of the project to be improving 16PA6STC, which is the diesel engine China imported for 054A.

 

[tphuang]

a couple of pictures of 054A under construction in HD shipyard, the third one there. It actually looks like not that much work has been done in the past month, kind of disappointing progress really.

Updated photos for this ship. It's kind of nice to see it really taking shape now.

 

[crobato]

Kind of interesting that they did the windows here first compared to the HP ship.

I wonder what that thing is on the right side of the picture. Are they building another ship soon after?