054/A FFG Thread II
- Thread starter tphuang
- Start date
tanlixiang28776
Junior Member
So how many type 54A are there in service and construction?
franco-russe
Senior Member
That is pretty clear from A. Man's list: 7 in service, 2 launched, 4 on building ways in various stages of completion.
tanlixiang28776
Junior Member
actually it says 16 are in service or being constructed
sealordlawrence
Junior Member
So we are now up to 13 identified 054A class hulls. How does this latest photo fit with the ones posted previously by tphuang?
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The first two are not 054As, they are the first two 054s, so it lists 14 054As.
tanlixiang28776
Junior Member
They are listed separately in that list.
franco-russe
Senior Member
The 054A posted 24 February looks pretty much the same as the one posted by tphuang 12 February. Only change is a green-tarped object on top of the hangar. This then should still be HD 5.
Since HD 4 (549 CHANGZHOU) was launched 21 May 2010, it may be expected to leave the shipyard in March-April, when HD 5 will probably be launched.
We know (or think we know) that a total of 16 Type 054A are planned, of which the two last may in fact be the first 054B. But only 13 (or perhaps just 12) have been noted in service or under construction.
An examination of shipbuilding patterns reveals that there was a major change in Chinese frigate construction when production of Type 054 started.
Hudong was always China’s premier frigate yard, going back to the RIGAs (Type 01) in the mid-50’s and including all subsequent classes, whereas Huangpu from the mid-90’s was tasked with building the six JIANGHU V and later JIANGWEI II Hulls 5-8 for the South Sea Fleet. But starting with Type 054, the two shipyards have been operating in tandem, initially with Hudong in the lead, and with no relation between shipyard and fleet (i.e. Hudong frigates are not necessarily for ESF and Huangpu not necessarily for SSF).
This was the case with the two JIANGKAI I and subsequently also JIANGWEI II Hulls 9-10 (why ever did they not just build four JIANGKAI I?), but starting with the JIANGKAI II class, Huangpu took the lead and has consistently remained ahead ever since.
Building on this, one may outline a possible future timetable for frigate construction. The remaining JIANGKAI II Hulls 8-14 may be completed 2012/2013, by which time each yard will have built a total of seven. Following that, Huangpu may build four Type 056 (for instance for Hong Kong) and Hudong another four (for instance for 3rd Frigate Sqn) 2013-2015. And finally, each yard may build a Type 054A in 2015.
By the way, I am trying to get used to the idea that JIANGKAI IIs conduct sea trials in the midst of their 9-12-month fitting out period, as attested for both HP 5 and HD 4. That can only be very basic engine and sea trials, excluding weapon and sensor trials, since they return to the yard for further fitting out.
This Is The New List Of 054 's & 054A's
I really don't like lists like this, but we will see if the predicted part works out. I do think the 6th flotilla will get its full complement of 4 054As before another flotilla gets them. From the list of flotilla I keep, 1st is all destroyers, the associated 14th flotilla has the frigates. So, I do question the list quite a bit.
and I would say that photo is the 5th 054A, a couple of more photos from the same set.
