054/A FFG Thread II

[Iron Man]

Indeed. I feel the 054A is getting more and more obsolete by the day, especially when one considers the frigates of China's rivals. The fact is that the 054A is basically mid 2000's technology and is getting outclassed in multiple ways. They're just kicking the can down the road; I was hoping that they would move to the vaunted 054B but we have yet to see any indication of its progress ... sigh

The 054A getting obsolete? LOL it seems expectations these days are going through the roof as far as the PLAN is concerned. The 054A is by no means obsolete. It is a fairly modern frigate suited to its size and role(s). You're comparing apples to oranges by comparing these frigates to European "frigates" which are 50% larger and are destroyers in all but name.

That said, the PLAN could definitely use a frigate with a more high-end AAW suite for future CBG escort duties. A fixed-panel X-band AESA paired with a lower-frequency air search radar, a 32-cell UVLS, quad-packing MRSAMs, and CEC. IEP and two hangars would round out its full modernity and make the 054B the perfect complement to 052Ds and 055s.

 

[Figaro]

The guided-missile frigate Hengyang (Hull 568) and the guided-missile frigate Xuchang (Hull 536) attached to a destroyer flotilla with the South China Sea Fleet under the PLA Navy steam in formation during a four-day maritime training exercise in waters of the South China Sea in late August, 2017.

The guided-missile frigate Huangshan (Hull 570) conducts replenishment-at-sea with the guided-missile frigate Hengyang (Hull 568) during a four-day maritime training exercise in waters of the South China Sea in late August, 2017

China Military Online

 

[Lethe]

That bird probably wasn't too happy with the firing exercise...

 

[Iron Man]

That bird probably wasn't too happy with the firing exercise...

The bird is probably thinking "WTF is wrong with these people making all this noise"

 

[asif iqbal]

29th FFG confirmed

 

[Franklin]

I don't understand the need for a Type 054B. Why would the PLAN invest into another new FFG design ? The 30 or so Type 054A will be enough to perform what ever duties FFG's has and the rest of the fleet should just be Type 052D's or Type 055's.

 

[Totoro]

Apparently, PLAN is aiming at a higher ship count than most of people would think they need. And they may not have the money to make majority of their fleet be comprised of destroyers. Rather, most may be frigate sized ships. Which is why we may 054a built in these numbers and future frigate successor potentially being built in similar numbers.

 

[Franklin]

How many more ships does China need ? The current DDG and FFG count stands at 79. Two Type 053H3 maybe transferred to Bangladesh in the coming years. There are still about 16 ships Type 055 (4), Type 052D (7) and Type 054A (5) either under construction or on sea trial. But there are 19 ships (6 Luda and 13 Jianghu) that are considered obselete.

 

[Lethe]

I don't understand the need for a Type 054B. Why would the PLAN invest into another new FFG design ? The 30 or so Type 054A will be enough to perform what ever duties FFG's has and the rest of the fleet should just be Type 052D's or Type 055's.

The idea is to learn from USN's mistakes, not emulate them.

 

[schrage musik]

Maybe the threat from the world's quietest nuclear submarine force, or the world's largest nuclear submarine force is motivation for developing a significantly quieter, stealthier and faster ASW ship that can be the platform for next-gen ASW sensors and weapons