054/A FFG Thread II

[Jeff Head]

HP shipyard just keeps going at it, this looks to be the 4th 054A under construction there.
[qimg]http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/9711/090504133794cd48ea08bfc.jpg[/qimg]

Series production...which probably means another will follow at HD too.

 

[crobato]

European convention is based from the days of the sailing ships, where frigates are of the same size as the capital ships and were nearly as capable. In the 19th century, frigates in Europe were the ships of the line, until the designation 'frigate' fell out of use in favour of designations such as armoured cruisers and battleships.

Sailing frigates were basically ships with a single line of guns, compared to other ships of the line. The American definition of the frigate was modified somewhat to include a double line, like the Constitution.

Because there is only a single line of guns, the weight distribution of the ship is low, so it handles a lot better than other ships of the line with 3 or 4 lines of guns. Yet at the same time, the frigates are big enough to carry enough provisions to last them for long journeys, making them true ocean going ships.

In effect, frigates was the cruisers of the day.

 

[crobato]

Series production...which probably means another will follow at HD too.

I am kind of expecting the same thing too.

 

[szbd]

do a simple math, there have been 6 054 and 054A commissioned and 2 more that's probably 6 months to 1 year away. How many 051s do you think have been decommissioned? 3? The math doesn't add up.

Just the gap of time I think. Besides, the rank of 054 is the same as the rank of DDGs.

 

[szbd]

Launched already? As if they're trying very hard to meet a deadline, launching the ship even though some equipment is not complete. The Huangpu ship was launched complete.

Hudong launch ships by slip them into the water, so there's a shock on the ship. Therefore some equipments will be installed after the launching to avoid damage. Huangpu use float dock to launch ships, there is no shock. The difference at launching also occurred on previous 054As.

 

[szbd]

Are the 051s at the end of their useful lives? Another viewpoint I can imagine would be PLAN retaining the 051s in the fleet with secondary roles. Afterall, since China has embarked on a path of economic growth, it's within reason that the PLAN would also want to grow the fleet, not just replace 1:1.

All 051s are built before mid 80s, except 166, which is a revised version. The oldest one in service now is 107 Yinchuan, commissioned in 1975.

 

[tphuang]

Just the gap of time I think. Besides, the rank of 054 is the same as the rank of DDGs.

that's because 051 weren't the size of real DDGs. If 054 series are replacing 051s, what do you think all the new DDGs are replacing then?

 

[FriedRiceNSpice]

The anti-ship weaponry on the 051 actually looks pretty deadly on paper. 16 YJ-82s vs the 8 carried on the 054As. In any surface engagement, they can still add quite a lot of firepower as well as provide ASW support with their helicopters. The only thing they really lack is air defense, which can be provided by other ships in their group.

 

[szbd]

that's because 051 weren't the size of real DDGs. If 054 series are replacing 051s, what do you think all the new DDGs are replacing then?

The rank of all DDGs in PLAN are the same.

As the new DDGs commissioning, the Destroyer squadrons of PLAN are expanding. The first decommissioned 051 class was 105 Jinan, decommissioned in late 2007, at that time new DDGs already commissioned for a while. Now the 2nd destroyer squadron in South Sea Fleet got 2 054As, their 051 161 Changsha decommissioned, 162 Nanning is said to be decommissioned soon. But none of the Jianghu in this squadron decommissioned.

Anyway, the Jianghus will be decommissioned sooner or later. But currently most Jianghus (Jianghu II, III and V) are less than 30 years old, actually more than half are less than 20 years old (most III and all V). Also they are much cheaper to operate than 051s.

Currently the 053s that decommissioned were belong to base units. I think PLAN is cutting base units down while expanding sea going units.

 

[szbd]

The anti-ship weaponry on the 051 actually looks pretty deadly on paper. 16 YJ-82s vs the 8 carried on the 054As. In any surface engagement, they can still add quite a lot of firepower as well as provide ASW support with their helicopters. The only thing they really lack is air defense, which can be provided by other ships in their group.

Most 051s still only have 6 HY-2 anti ship missiles. They are pretty much useless against most Naval forces around China.