054/A FFG Thread II
- Thread starter tphuang
- Start date
Wait, they already update the Electronic Warfare System from Anyang. So this is the third PLAN 054A with the new Jammer.
New jammer first appeared in the fourth and final batch before the building paused. So there are already four ships with this new jammer prior to the first 054A/P. Accompanying the new jammer is a modified ESM, same as the previous Type 951 ESM but has additional "crown of thorns" above the cylinder. The "crown of thorns" is likely for improving threat signal analysis. 4th batch also introduced a new SATCOM design that is PLAN proprietary, hence not used on the 054A/P, but will show up in the fifth batch. SATCOM design also showed up on the 053H3.
Furthermore, all 053H3 refit are equipped with the new jammer, but these ones have additional arrays on their bodies.
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Ship features new SATCOMs. The smaller one is featured in all ships, and is being retrofitted on older ships and new ships that were built without them. They range from 056A to 055.
The bigger one is one that is found only in the new batch 054A (not 054A/P) and the 053H3 refit. The new SATCOM basically cancels and replaces three previous SATCOMs, a small one that might be an X/Ku band, a larger one that is S band, and a third one that is retrofitted on existing ships. The small and the big one are standard fit on PLAN ships since the 2000s, but the third one is a new one, followed by these circular ones, indicating the presence of new satellite constellations the ships are using. The new large SATCOM here appears to consolidate all three into one. The larger one might be dual band, to replace both the X and the S band previous SATCOM, using a flat panel with two phase arrays on it that are mechanically steered. The smaller one might be flat panel or phase array, that is mechanically steered.
used for illustration only:
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So, the new targeting radars seem fairly large. Not sure if quite as large as the lower (targeting) arrays of the combined tracking/targeting dual band radars of HQ-16 land based batteries.
Those are, for their export version, advertised with being able to engage 4 different targets at once.
If 054A with this new HHQ-16 system could do the same, per each radar face, that'd mean the 054A can engage up to 8 different targets at the same time, coming from one direction. And theoretically as many as 16 different targets at the same time coming from a multitude of directions.
Those are, for their export version, advertised with being able to engage 4 different targets at once.
If 054A with this new HHQ-16 system could do the same, per each radar face, that'd mean the 054A can engage up to 8 different targets at the same time, coming from one direction. And theoretically as many as 16 different targets at the same time coming from a multitude of directions.
It's possible the new emitter has stronger gain, allowing for increased illumination range which can increase the combat range of the missile.
Another change on the newer batches is the ESM.
I already mentioned they added a crown on top of the primary ESM unit and I think its to enhance threat signal analysis. See right arrow. These units started to appear on the last four ships which is the fourth batch that also featured the new ECM. A similar system is found in the final batch of 056A.
The second enhancement is the skirt of arrays or dipoles around the Type 364 radar. See left arrow. Originally the skirt array appeared on ships 529 and 530 but is at the top of the mast. I believe the two ships installed them for testing, and the result of the testing has been successful but they moved the skirt out of the primary mast and to the aft mast, possibly for reducing interference. However the skirts on 529 and 530 remain, which is an indication they are operational in service. The skirt appeared on the final four ships with the improved ECM and ESM. I believe the purpose of these is to analyze UHF and VHF transmissions given the size and the distance of separation of the dipoles.
The 054A/P did incorporate the crown but not the skirt. You can clearly see the crown on the right side. The skirt is absent on the left.
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As a way of showing that PLAN can get a 20-frigate class before US will launch the first one from their own 20-ship order.What ?The Type 054A production has restarted !
Jokes aside, we don't know for sure.
Probably a combination of need for more multi-role combatants with delays in 054b development. The international climate is deteriorating, fast.
Furthermore, even if US frigate-printing capability doesn't show much promise yet, JMSDF frigate line actually works.
Perhaps as replacement of the 056's that were transferred to the Coast Guard.
What ?
You're a few years out of date.
Can we avoid using emojis too much on this site, it isn't a trend we want to endorse on SDF...