The Type 054B (NATO/OSD Jiangkai III)[3] is a class of guided missile frigate under construction for the People's Republic of China. It is a development of the Type 054A frigate, and is around 16 m (52 ft) longer and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) wider than its predecessor.[4][better source needed]
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | |
| Operators |  People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Preceded by | Type 054A frigate |
| Active | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Frigate |
| Displacement | 5,500 to 6,000 tons (full)[1] |
| Length | 147–150 m (482–492 ft)[1] |
| Beam | 17–18 m (56–59 ft)[1][better source needed] |
| Propulsion | CODAD, 4 × CS16V27 diesels, 29.12 MW (39,050 hp) total, 2 shafts[2] |
| Speed | 28 knots[2] |
| Range | 5,000 nautical miles (5,800 mi; 9,300 km)[2] |
| Armament | |
| Aircraft carried | 1x Z-20 helicopter |
| Aviation facilities | Helipad |
History and development
editIn the 2010s, Chinese military observers speculated a successor design to Type 054A frigate, designated Type 054B or Type 057. In the early 2020s, more confident intelligence suggested the successor to Type 054A would be the Type 054B. The first two hulls were laid down in 2022 at the Hudong shipyard and the Huangpu shipyard in Shanghai and launched in 2023.[5] The first frigate, Luohe was commissioned on 22 January 2025 at Qingdao.[6][7]
The second ship in its class, Qinzhou, was secretly commissioned, with its existence confirmed on April 12, 2025[8]
Design
editThe Type 054B is longer and wider than the Type 054A. The bow is enclosed. A dual-face rotating phased array radar is mounted on the top of the forward integrated mast.[9] The stern has a panel for variable depth sonar and ports for deploying towed sonars and decoys.
Armament includes a 100mm H/PJ-87 main gun, a 32-cell vertical launching system (VLS), a Type 1130 11-barrel 30mm close in weapon system, and a HQ-10 air defense missile launcher.[9][10]
The helicopter pad is large enough to accommodate the Harbin Z-20.[9]
Ships of class
edit| Pennant number | Name | Namesake | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Fleet | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 545[6] | 漯河 / Luohe[6] | City of Luohe | Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard[6] | August 26, 2023[4][8] | January 22, 2025[6] | North Sea Fleet[6] | Active |
| 555[11] | 钦州 / Qinzhou[11] | City of Qinzhou | Huangpu Shipyard[6] | October 29, 2023[5][8] | Announced April 12, 2025, official commission date unknown[8][12] | South Sea Fleet[8][12] | Active |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Luck, Alex (22 January 2025). "Chinese Navy Commissions First Type 054B Next Gen Frigate". Naval News. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
- ^ a b c "China deploys 5,000-ton torpedo frigate to hunt US nuclear submarines in open seas". Interesting Engineering.
- ^ "PLAN 2024 Identification Guide". Office of Naval Intelligence.
- ^ a b Luck, Alex (29 August 2023). "First New Generation Frigate For Chinese Navy Launched In Shanghai". navalnews.com.
- ^ a b Fanell, James E. (May 2024). "Another Historic Year for the PLA Navy". USNI News.
- ^ a b c d e f g Rahmat, Ridzwan (23 January 2025). "China commissions first Type 054B frigate". Janes. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
- ^ Li Jiayao (ed.). "China's first Type 054B frigate Luohe commissioned". Ministry of National Defense of China. Xinhuanet. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
- ^ a b c d e "中国海军第二艘054B型导弹护卫舰 在南中国海实战化训练". Lianhe Zaobao.
- ^ a b c Newdick, Thomas (28 August 2023). "This Is China's New Type 054B Frigate, Could Become Backbone Of Navy". The War Zone.
- ^ 新舰砺刃！054B护卫舰首舰漯河舰最新画面发布！现场火力全开！ [The new ships weapons! Type 054B frigate Luohe conducts live fire exercise!] (Video) (in Chinese). CCTV-7. 17 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2025 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b "钦州舰，报到！新一艘054B型护卫舰南海实战化训练". Xinhua. 5 May 2025.
- ^ a b "海報藏玄機 054B型導彈艦「一南一北」護航雙航母". HK01.
