The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy has taken a new step in the modernization and expansion of its warships with the new building frigate Type 054B Guided Missile Launcher, still unofficially named, a larger and more advanced version of its predecessor, the Type 054A, allowing it to operate alongside battlegroups aircraft carrier in war formations. The Type 054B frigate is 147 meters long and 18.5 meters wide and has a displacement of around 6,000 tons. It is also wider than its predecessor and more closely resembles the Type 052 destroyer in terms of beam intensity.
But if something sets this new boat apart, it’s its own fully electric drive system. Navy Recognition ensures that there are few frigates in the world that have an all-electric propulsion system like the one just inaugurated by the Chinese Navy, the appearance of which can be seen in images circulating on social networks these days Hudong Shipyard in Shanghai. This electric propulsion system improves the ship’s energy conversion efficiency, as well as its sailing performance and combat effectiveness.
The ship is equipped with a double-sided phased-active radar system (AESA) and combined with integrated HF mast technology identical to that of the Type 055 destroyer, improving the ship’s situational awareness from the air. The above media assures that with this radar support, the frigate’s air defense capability is expected to match or even surpass that of the Type 052C destroyer, making it comparable to that large European destroyers such as the Type 45 and the Horizon class.
According to The WarZone, This ship could become the backbone of the Chinese Navy, 340 ships according to the latest estimates compared to the 280 ships of the United States. For its part, the Asian Times assures that this frigate is intended to be a low-end anti-submarine ship that will work with the Type 055 cruisers and the high-end Type 052 destroyers and is too expensive to produce in large numbers to be built.
The frigatesalong with the destroyers, are the most common warships in a navy’s fleet, They are used to escort and protect larger ships, such as aircraft carriers, to defend against aerial threats, both on land and under water. In order to be able to properly fulfill their escort and protection mission, the frigates are equipped with advanced weapons and defense systems.
It is possible that the Type 054B Frigate will be deployed within the United States first and second chain of islands and could, writes Gabriel Honrada, secure China’s maritime lines of communication linking key seaports along the country Maritime Silk Road. Its larger size allows it to carry more fuel and supplies to increase its endurance and self-sufficiency on the high seas.
Experts believe that the ship will be equipped with a bow-mounted 32-cell vertical launch system (VLS) that can be integrated HQ-16 long-range anti-aircraft missile And Rocket-launched Yu-8 torpedoes. The frigate is also armed with two quadruple Eagle Strike 83 anti-ship missile launchers, a short-range weapons system and a HQ-10 short-range air defense system.
Navy Recognition claims that the Type 054B could be fitted with one new 100 mm main gun, which offers clear advantages over the conventional 76mm gun in terms of range and performance. The frigate could house a Z-20F multi-role sea helicopter, “which shares many features with the US SH-60 Seahawk,” writes Thomas Newdick in The WarZone.
The South China Morning Post reveals that Beijing is planning to do so four aircraft carrier strike groups by 2030with the Type 054B, Type 052D and Type 055 as key escort ships for their aircraft carriers.
Various media outlets claim that China is dedicating many old warships to the Coast Guard tasked with protecting the Asian giant’s territorial claims against other countries in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. Japan Times reported in May that lThe Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) has 157 large vessels. Four times the size of a decade ago, making it the largest maritime law enforcement agency in the world.
