054B/next generation frigate

Clark Gap

Junior Member
Registered Member
Not really, according to the transcript above. MVDC IEP and combined diesel engine and gas turbine prime movers. The displacement is 25% larger. As I said, a new class of ship.

Some sources said 054B probably still use diesel engines.
 

Blitzo

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
Not really, according to the transcript above. MVDC IEP and combined diesel engine and gas turbine prime movers. The displacement is 25% larger. As I said, a new class of ship.

Because 054B appears to be its name rather than 057. That's been something we've had back and forth discussions on for years, but the current consensus is that its name seems to be 054B

Meaning we probably need to reassess just how seriously the whole "05X = propulsion method" thing is.
 

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
lyman did an interesting post comparing Type 045 to Type 054B. I don't really care for the Type 045 part. However, if his information on 054B is close to accurate, then this is quite juicy details


So, Type 054B will be using dual faced radar of 3.5 m caliber? (length?). That's pretty big. I have no way of confirming that it's better than SPY-1D. Anyways, quite the large radar for a non dedicated air defense ship.


propulsion detail here is quite interesting. Full displacement of 5600t and regular displacement of 4900t. It uses Medium voltage Direct current IEPS. That sounds advanced, but I have no idea how advanced it is. This does make me think that the next batch of 055 will be using IEPS. Says they can reach 18knots without turning on gas turbine.

If this is all true, then the implication is that 054B has a lot of room to grow in the future into a larger ship. With more powerful gas turbine in the future, they should be able to generate even more power. That would allow for 054B to get stretched (in like a 054C) to over 6000t and fully replace 052C/D. And the top speed with a lot higher than the 28 knots for 052DE. The issue with ships like 054A and 052D was always the lower power. That meant they can't keep up with a carrier group. This new propulsion system should allow them to do that.

This to me is the puzzling part. I don't mind the part of using YJ-12 launchers rather than VLS. I am quite disappointed if they are going with the same 32 cell VLS as in 054A. It is possible that they move to UVLS at a later point with a stretch. I think they should move toward a single VLS system rather than 1 for smaller ships and 1 for larger ships.

If 054B end up being under 3 billion RMB ($400 million), then it will be a pretty good price for replacing 052C/D. I remember years ago, when 054A was quoted as 1.6 billion RMB. With inflation + significantly increased capability and size. 2.5 to 3 billion RMB seems quite reasonable.

That's about the size of the dual sided arrays we have seen on test ship 892. No surprise there. The most apt performance analog would be the SAMPSON radars.
 

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
It is genuinely hard to confirm given how it looks. I suspect the blogger may have been tipped by inside sources that this ship is it. If this is the case, then this would be on the new expanded shipyard, not the old one with a shed where they build 054A on it. This can suggest that the ship might be bigger than what the shed would allow, or that they are building the ship simultaneously with the final batch of 054A.
 

Tam

Brigadier
Registered Member
These are supposed to be mid sections, and they are far too compartmentalized for a cargo ship.


PLN Type 054B maybe1.jpg

Section marked in blue isn't something for a commercial ship either. The piece just above it may not be commercial either.

As a side note, I'm impressed they are building an LNG carrier in this site. I would have thought they are building them all in Changxin.
 

Blitzo

Lieutenant General
Staff member
Super Moderator
Registered Member
It is genuinely hard to confirm given how it looks. I suspect the blogger may have been tipped by inside sources that this ship is it. If this is the case, then this would be on the new expanded shipyard, not the old one with a shed where they build 054A on it. This can suggest that the ship might be bigger than what the shed would allow, or that they are building the ship simultaneously with the final batch of 054A.

It's the same Hudong shipyard location/drydock where they built their other previous 054As and 071s and 075s at.
 
Top