054B/new generation frigate

TOKYO DRIFT ABC said:

I can get why China built tech demonstrators like the Type 052C and 054 20 yrs ago when it lacked tech confidence, but now that it’s already building advanced ships like the Type 052D and 055, if the 054B is indeed just a transitional design, why is there still a need for it?

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China's ship deign approach is always evolutional rather than straight to unmatured new techs. British and US navies have launched so many ships designs that ended up with no good outcome. Chinese approaches are much wiser; they are pragmatic and proven.

lcloo said:

China's ship deign approach is always evolutional rather than straight to unmatured new techs. British and US navies have launched so many ships designs that ended up with no good outcome. Chinese approaches are much wiser; they are pragmatic and proven.

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They also simply got the manufacturing ability to iterate in consistent 'small steps'

The engineering and manufacturing ability to make multiple iterative designs is not easy.

Well, at the root is inadequate spending on persistent industrial expertise buyoyed by consistent orders (ie continuous shipbuilding). Which remains absent in Europe (at least as of a few years ago), hence resulting both in loss of expertise and the need to come up with fundamentally new designs instead of iterative variants.

For the US its less a lack of competence in engineering and manufacturing, and rather more abysmal performance in project management.

Anyway, sry for the OT.

So is the widely reported range of 5000nm likely true or underestimation?

Looks like the new 100mm's designation is PJE087B

Info based on the plaque:

• Total weight - 21.500 kg
• Turret weight - 13.500 kg
• Production serial number - 3007
• Production year - 2024
• Manufacturing unit - China First Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.

The Observer said:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2046758871923134584

Looks like the new 100mm's designation is PJE087B

Info based on the plaque:

• Total weight - 21.500 kg
• Turret weight - 13.500 kg
• Production serial number - 3007
• Production year - 2024
• Manufacturing unit - China First Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.

Click to expand...

So being consistent with past naval gun designations, H/PJ-87B?

The Observer said:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2046758871923134584

Looks like the new 100mm's designation is PJE087B

Info based on the plaque:

• Total weight - 21.500 kg
• Turret weight - 13.500 kg
• Production serial number - 3007
• Production year - 2024
• Manufacturing unit - China First Heavy Industry Co., Ltd.

Click to expand...

Production serial B007.

Huangpu #2 054B

TOKYO DRIFT ABC said:

I can get why China built tech demonstrators like the Type 052C and 054 20 yrs ago when it lacked tech confidence, but now that it’s already building advanced ships like the Type 052D and 055, if the 054B is indeed just a transitional design, why is there still a need for it?

Click to expand...

They should just build 20 054B even if it is just a "transitional" design. Then build another 30+ whatever the new class looks like. This is how you build the world's largest navy when your shipbuilding industry prices are still affordable.

TOKYO DRIFT ABC said:

I can get why China built tech demonstrators like the Type 052C and 054 20 yrs ago when it lacked tech confidence, but now that it’s already building advanced ships like the Type 052D and 055, if the 054B is indeed just a transitional design, why is there still a need for it?

Click to expand...

Being 100 percent fair, 052D is a refreshed 20 year old design in terms of hull design and propulsion with the latest electronics/sensors and weaponry. 055 is cleansheet design but in terms of hull design and propulsion it still is relatively conservative for it's time with conventional COGAG and not IEPS etc.

The biggest problem with 054B is IMO with the conservative propulsion and hull design, not the weaponry and sensors. IEPS is still pretty new to China with the first navy vessel featuring it being the 076 and even that is still built with old turbine technology instead of the latest CGT-30 series which is still very new and unproven. AFAIK, China also lacks domestic large medium/low speed diesel engines, if I remember correctly the latest ones are only 6MW to 8MW max.