054/A FFG Thread II

[tphuang]

Very interesting indeed, I was looking at the pics of the 054A and the 052B and it seems to be that this new ship could be a 052B with VLS. Perhaps I'm right or perhaps I'm wrong but this ship looks huge to me !!!

It looks slightly bigger than 054/A, but not 052B size. But maybe my eyes are playing tricks and it really is no bigger than 054A.

More pictures.

This is comparing the new 054 frigate with 054A frigate. Any thoughts?

 

[FugitiveVisions]

Looks to be pretty similar in size. Too similar for the ships to be of different classes.

 

[crobato]

I have the feeling that the new hull might be slightly longer though.

 

[Quickie]

The new ship seems to have a sharper bow compared to the rounder bow of the 054A. The stern of the new ship seems to be higher too, though it may be just the scaffolding itself.

 

[crobato]

Given the relative state of the hull in Hudong vs. Huangpu, its not looking good for Hudong, especially after that crane collapsed on top of the ship. The collapse spared the ship, but Hudong, already behind compared to Huangpu, can't continue the ship to a certain point until that crane is rebuilt.

 

[mehdi]

Looks like the pictures are getting better and better, I would have like to post a new pic but it's too big (390 Kb) anyway I hope I am wrong but from the new pics there's a possibility that the ship may be the old 054 Version, and I would like to be wrong on this one. Perhaps an export version

 

[crobato]

The sidings of the new ship don't match the 054 however, and its still more like the 054A. Furthermore, there is no evidence of a raised platform in the deck like the 054. Its unlikely its an export ship given there is no report of anything being purchased.

 

[Roger604]

What can we expect to be its outfit? Just some guesses...

48 VLS boxes. We might see an improved version of the HH-16 or something else altogether.

Gas turbine

Room for one helicopter with dipping sonar

Some Type 730's

8 antiship missiles or LACM

 

[Gollevainen]

48 VLS boxes. We might see an improved version of the HH-16 or something else altogether

I kinda doupt it. First of all having 32 cell VLS for missiles of HHQ-16/Shtill size in ship of this sizeclass and in sinlge location is quite alot in fact. Going for 16 more VLS cells would be physically impossiple as there is no room left in the bow. And the pics doesen't indicate any dramatical lenght addition for the bow.

Gas turbine

That indeed is the biggest single factor what I'm waiting to see. If the ship would field a GODAG or GODOG arragment (which is more likely than all-gasturbine) it would indicate that the proplems with the gasturbines are solved. When we see the funnel, we know something. If it features the similar combinated funnel/mast arragement of the earlier 054s then it's certain that no gas turbines are being fitted. If it features rather lenghty and large funnel (basicly the combo without the mast) then it's more likely that there is a gas turbines indeed fitted.

Room for one helicopter with dipping sonar

The desing already has. I would like to see bit more powerfull bow sonar and offensive ASW armament.

Some Type 730's

Two will be fitted. Some interest would be wheter PLAN will use the similar "stripped" CIWS as in the pakistanese ships or rely on the orginal model.

8 antiship missiles or LACM

Not more can be physically be fitted given the size of the space left for the SSMs and the size of the missiles in chinese inventory. I doupt no LACM would be fitted, there just isen't room left for them.

 

[crobato]

The least I can expect is 054A with some RCS improvement. This seems to be a mass production stage, and I don't expect to see any radical or big changes from the 054A. In fact the most I can expect is some improvements or changes in the radar fit.