054/A FFG Thread II

[Bose]

Has russian install any of the Shitl VLS yet or goes into prototype for testing?

No VL Shtil has been installed till now on any ships, but it has been in promotion for upgrading the Udaloy class, Sovremenny class, has been offered to India for upgrading the Delhi class destroyers and since the 2011 IMDS expo we have been seeing the Krivak class (11356) model with VL cells for Shtil.
In the years ahead we might see some ships getting these VL Shtil. The six 11356 class of frigates being built are currently speced as armed with Shtil, but it could change in the rest of the ships.


Its a big missile and in terms weight & warhead weight and can be used with high effect against other ships & even coastal targets which is within 25Km. It would be a good capability for PLAN if Chinese missile are also having that secondary capablity.

 

[escobar]

Ships from ESF in pacific for training. We can see 054A CIC

[video=youtube;gypqWLR9PVg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gypqWLR9PVg[/video]

 

[AlienCraft]

You are right about 568 HENGYANG, I had forgotten to correct the name from CHAOHU (which will probably be the name of the first 903A).

You are wrong about 571 YUNCHENG, which was actually named HENGSHUI.

The word now is that PLAN has ordered another four 054A (nos. 17-20), all from Hudong. If Hudong goes on building one per year, they will only be completed by 2017. I am sure they will speed that up, though, likely completing all four by the end of 2015.

I understandard why they slowed down the 054As production. PLAN has no urgency for 054As. 052Ds are actually urgent at the moment. As Diaoyu islands tension increased compare to the rival PLAN is lack of AEGIS like DDGs.
Also PLAN may wait for more advanced 054B.

 

[jackliu]

I understandard why they slowed down the 054As production. PLAN has no urgency for 054As. 052Ds are actually urgent at the moment. As Diaoyu islands tension increased compare to the rival PLAN is lack of AEGIS like DDGs.
Also PLAN may wait for more advanced 054B.

I think 054A is more than good enough for deployment when deployed together with 052C 052D. And if they can share radar and combat system using data link that will be extremely valuable.

 

[AlienCraft]

I think 054A is more than good enough for deployment when deployed together with 052C 052D. And if they can share radar and combat system using data link that will be extremely valuable.

Yes, 054A is good enough for the role. But my point is that PLAN needs more modern DDGs to balance their inventory. The total number of 054As currently is about 16 plus two 054s. That gives 18 in total. But there is only 2-4 advanced DDGs currently available. I think at least 10 more DDGs needed for a big country like China.

 

[joshuatree]

Yes, 054A is good enough for the role. But my point is that PLAN needs more modern DDGs to balance their inventory. The total number of 054As currently is about 16 plus two 054s. That gives 18 in total. But there is only 2-4 advanced DDGs currently available. I think at least 10 more DDGs needed for a big country like China.

I'm sure the Chinese Navy agrees with you. It sorely needs both modern destroyers and frigates. So once they were comfortable with the 054A design, they serial produced them. Now that there is a sufficient fleet, they are turning their attention to the destroyers. I think the 052C is adequate so they ordered more as a stop gap. They are probably hoping to get a matured 052D by then and serial produce those. On the lower end, the gap left by the 054A and 022 will be plugged by the lightweight, mass produced corvette which uses existing, matured components. In five years time, I think it's safe to say all the older ships will essentially be phased out. They may still be on active duty but perform secondary roles.

 

[Jeff Head]

In five years time, I think it's safe to say all the older ships will essentially be phased out. They may still be on active duty but perform secondary roles.

Some have indicated that more Type 054As (or perhaps there will be a "B", though we have not seen it yet) will be produced while the serial run for the 052D (of twelve vessels or so) is also running.

I agree that once the Type 022 FACs, the Type 056 OPVs, the Type 054A(B) FFGs, and the Type 052 C/D DDGs production lines produce adequate numbers of each, that the more antiquated DDGs and FFGs will be phased out and probably many of them used by the Coast Guard or scrapped. What constitutes "adequate" numbers is the key. They have 50+ 022s. They are apparently going to build 30+ 056 OPVs, they already have upwards of 20 054 FFGs and are building perhaps 8-12 more, and already have, or are building, 10 052C/D DDGs and apparently destined for at least 18 in total. And with DDGs there are other modern designs that will serve for years. The two 051Cs, the two 052Bs, the four Sovs. That means a total of 26 very modern and effective DDGs.

Actually, when taken as a whole, in ten years all of that plus the 017 LPDs, the Liaoning, the J-15s, the new SSNs, the new SSKs, the new SSBNs, and the new test, replensihment and other vessels are really a pretty phenominal achievement in that time frame.

 

[PanAsian]

What constitutes "adequate" numbers is the key. They have 50+ 022s. They are apparently going to build 30+ 056 OPVs, they already have upwards of 20 054 FFGs and are building perhaps 8-12 more, and already have, or are building, 10 052C/D DDGs and apparently destined for at least 18 in total. And with DDGs there are other modern designs that will serve for years. The two 051Cs, the two 052Bs, the four Sovs. That means a total of 26 very modern and effective DDGs.

I think the interim technology vessels such as the 054s, 051Cs, 052Bs, and maybe even the Sovs will be upgraded (the Sovs a much slimmer chance, maybe retirement instead) once the production of new ships nears completion.

 

[joshuatree]

I think the interim technology vessels such as the 054s, 051Cs, 052Bs, and maybe even the Sovs will be upgraded (the Sovs a much slimmer chance, maybe retirement instead) once the production of new ships nears completion.

What about 052s and 051B? SLEP, scrap, CG service, or sale to friendly nation? Keep in mind, the lesser model variations, the cheaper on operational maintenance in the big picture.

 

[Mysterre]

I think the interim technology vessels such as the 054s, 051Cs, 052Bs, and maybe even the Sovs will be upgraded (the Sovs a much slimmer chance, maybe retirement instead) once the production of new ships nears completion.

I'm not sure how any of these vessels can be easily upgraded. The PLAN would be better served selling off these ships at 'friendship prices'. More likely, though, they will be kept in service until retirement. I say relegate all of them to the NSF along with all the JW frigates that I suspect the PLAN will keep in service for longer than they should. The mission of the NSF is purely local, and these ships would need alot of support from PLANAF and PLAAF to stay alive in any conflict. The mission of the ESF is Taiwan in the near term, and probably the Western Pacific in the mid term and the rest of the Pacific in the long term. SSF: SCS in the short term and the Indian Ocean in the mid- to long term. These missions will all require the most survivable and modern ships the PLAN has, and the interim vessels you mentioned will have no place in any of these areas.