It is indeed a 056 that has gone back for maintenance.
054/A FFG Thread II
- Thread starter tphuang
- Start date
It is indeed a 056 that has gone back for maintenance.
So the construction of new batch of 054As (total 20 of them) now starts in earnest. Can't wait to see when the new batches of 055s and 052Ds start too.
This picture has been posted over a year ago by by78 I think. Everyone is focused on the big dual sided AESA and didn't notice another thing.
Whatever is on top of the bridge.
The new target illuminators now seen on the latest batch of 054A are on this thing exactly a year ago.
The other radar behind it you can disregard it as I believe that to be a dual array (one transmit one receive) FMCW radar intended to track missiles the ship is firing. It serves as part of 892's test equipment and not a new equipment being tested.
My theory is that the dual sided AESA works exactly like a modernized Type 382 aka Fregat aka Top Plate and that it is used to direct the target illuminators, here the modernized Front Dome, towards the targets.
Whatever is on top of the bridge.
The new target illuminators now seen on the latest batch of 054A are on this thing exactly a year ago.
The other radar behind it you can disregard it as I believe that to be a dual array (one transmit one receive) FMCW radar intended to track missiles the ship is firing. It serves as part of 892's test equipment and not a new equipment being tested.
My theory is that the dual sided AESA works exactly like a modernized Type 382 aka Fregat aka Top Plate and that it is used to direct the target illuminators, here the modernized Front Dome, towards the targets.
Last edited:
I think it was always unlikely for the dual sided AESA to be on the 054A rebuilds.
054B/future frigate was always more likely imo
It may not be ready yet.
I do think its possible that there maybe changes as per minimum sized batch (4 ships).
We should go back and check back at the 35th ship, then after every four ships.
Eventually I think both Type 382 and Type 364 radars maybe changed, so that the dual sided AESA sits on top of the main mast and the small dual banded dual sided AESA sits on the aft mast.
@Tam do these photos mean size and capability-wise we can expect the still in testing dual-sided AESA to be much more capable than SR2410C on Type 054A/P?
Also, would the mounting point of the new HQ-16 guiding PAR limits their guiding angle? if those PAR panels are mounted on the approximate location for the old MR-90s, wouldn't there be a pretty big blind spot along the middle of the ship?
I would expect it to be more capable than the SR2410C, yes.
As for the mounting points, the HQ-16 guiding PARs have the same FOV and quadrant view like say, the Type 346 faces on the 052C/D/055, the SPY-1 on the Burkes, as well as the tiny PARs on the ECM units. There is going to be some loss as you steer off center the array, typical of all PARs versus mechanically steering units, but the negatives may not outweigh the gains of using these PARs, or they won't be chosen.
It is also no different in terms of angles such as these CEAMOUNT illuminators.
