054/A FFG Thread II

[Andy1974]

Is there any hints that the lengthening of the 054A/G mod incorporates a new IEPS system? I think this would be the upgrade to make it relevant for the future.

My theory: They made 054B to prove IEPS (and Z-20) on a frigate, and then added that upgrade to the latest 054As.

 

[SeriousPLANLover]

Is there any hints that the lengthening of the 054A/G mod incorporates a new IEPS system? I think this would be the upgrade to make it relevant for the future.

My theory: They made 054B to prove IEPS (and Z-20) on a frigate, and then added that upgrade to the latest 054As.

Or there are issues with IEPS on 054B and until they get sorted out, they wanted to put the new radars and systems on an old proven design to not lose time. That is more likely tbh.

 

[lcloo]

There is a precedence to building more type 054A after 054B.

After building the 2 type 054, PLAN follow up with building more type 053H3. A few years later they started with type 054A.

What we are seeing now is similar to the past.

Most likely is that the current type 054B will have to go through an actual on the job evaluation and smooth out any unforseen flaws, and only then they will mass construct this new class of frigates.

We also have seen after the first type 055's commission, there was a lapse of a few years before launching of subsequent ships of the same class.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

Apart from Hudong-Zhonghua, at least one 054AG FFG with the aforementioned upgrades is currently being constructed at Huangpu-Wenchong. The 054B FFG and (likely) one 054-mod cutter are seen moored right beside (or directly behind, based on the photographer's POV) it.

Posted by @琴石2022 on Weibo.

View attachment 133861
View attachment 133862

View from another angle. The 054B FFG is likely to have been swapped with another 054-mod cutter when this photo was taken.

Posted by the same person on Weibo.

 

[ACuriousPLAFan]

The closest FFG class with similar dimension and tonnage plus similar/larger number of units per class to the present 054A/AG-class FFG is none other than the Oliver Hazard Perry-class FFG, with a total of 51 units built for the USN from the mid-1970s till the late-1980s, plus an additional 20 units for other countries and regions.

Hence, an additional 10 or more 054AGs to the current 054A/AG fleet of 40 ships in the PLAN isn't exactly extraordinary.

Similarly, raising the prospect of the PLAN having close to or more than 100 FFGs in the future shouldn't be shocking or deemed unachievable either, given China's unique geopolitical realities in the ECS and SCS along the 1IC (and that the 056As alone are no longer deemed sufficient to deal with foreign threats in the region).

Therefore, I believe that having 50-60x 054A/AGs for operations within and around the 1IC, coupled with (perhaps) 30-50x 054B(/Cs) for "true-blue" operations in the IndoPac theater should be good to go for the PLAN.

 

[gelgoog]

The Type 054A needs radar and weapons upgrades to remain viable over the next decade.

 

[snake65]

The Type 054A needs radar and weapons upgrades to remain viable over the next decade.

Aren't they already getting them? Or you mean early batches?

 

[gelgoog]

Aren't they already getting them? Or you mean early batches?

Yes I mean upgrading existing ships from early batches.

 

[SeriousPLANLover]

The closest FFG class with similar dimension and tonnage plus similar/larger number of units per class to the present 054A/AG-class FFG is none other than the Oliver Hazard Perry-class FFG, with a total of 51 units built for the USN from the mid-1970s till the late-1980s, plus an additional 20 units for other countries and regions.

Hence, an additional 10 or more 054AGs to the current 054A/AG fleet of 40 ships in the PLAN isn't exactly extraordinary.

Similarly, raising the prospect of the PLAN having close to or more than 100 FFGs in the future shouldn't be shocking or deemed unachievable either, given China's unique geopolitical realities in the ECS and SCS along the 1IC (and that the 056As alone are no longer deemed sufficient to deal with foreign threats in the region).

Therefore, I believe that having 50-60x 054A/AGs for operations within and around the 1IC, coupled with (perhaps) 30-50x 054B(/Cs) for "true-blue" operations in the IndoPac theater should be good to go for the PLAN.

Isn't simply producing more blue water 054b instead of any new 054a a better idea? It is not like 054b can't do ASW operations within 1st IC and you would have more blue water ships which increase your deterrence.

 

[Kich]

054B ships are one off and will precede something else upcoming. 054C or 05x FFG.

It's why they haven't bothered with significant weapons upgrades compared to the 054A. They are more focused on sensors and possibly new power plants; testing them out before moving to the real next FFG.

In the meantime, building more slightly upgraded 054A easily provides PLAN with more VLS numbers and FFG ships. which will free up important DDGs to do other things.