054B/new generation frigate

Totoro said:

So if there are no illuminators, and if old vls system is used, then hq16fe would be almost assured?
Or is there another hq16 variant with active guidance?

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It could be HQ-16FE, or other variants of HQ-16 that we don't know of, or a clean sheet family of new missiles that are developed for H/AJK-16 VLS.

The list of missiles we know that is confirmed in use with the H/AJK-16 VLS and the UVLS is likely a small fraction of the total.

Blitzo said:

Potentially this may be it

View attachment 117687View attachment 117688

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Sorry if this question is a bit off-topic, but has the CCG stopped ordering CCG-specific variant of 054A with a higher bridge?

In these pictures, the new CCG ship looks just like a regular 054A but in CCG color.

Side view comparison of the 054B FFG versus 054A FFG. Posted by on Twitter.

Note the length of 054B is around 147 meters.

Blitzo said:

No.

That picture should've been taking during launch at night, where the rear mast (radome structure and ESM/tac mast) was already present.

You can see the rear mast/dome in that picture, which I circled in red.
What you circled in blue is a part of the HHQ-10 launcher, which was tilted at a slight upwards angle during the launch.

View attachment 117748

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Guess you are right.

Latest updated CGI illustration on the 054B FFG based on the latest imagery at Hudong-Zhonghua, with its predecessor 054A FFG alongside for comparison. Made by @大包CG on Weibo.






Though, I do hope that those slanted missile launchers located amidship are for YJ-12s instead of YJ-83s again...

snake65 said:

It can't be part of HHQ-10, it's too high up. And you can see HHQ-10 on the top of hangar anyway.

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It is HHQ-10, because the HHQ-10 on top of the hangar is mounted rather high on its own platform additionally on top of the hangar itself.

I've outlined the main body of the HHQ-10 launcher in red and the side support structure in yellow.

Once you actually see it, and once you look at just how high the HHQ-10 on the helicopter hangar is and the fact that the launcher was tilted upwards, it's rather obvious that the object is just the HHQ-10 launcher.

A clean side profile image without the comparison to 054A

Is it confirmed there is no VLS amidships and there is only just space for slanted launchers?

Hitomi said:

Is it confirmed there is no VLS amidships and there is only just space for slanted launchers?

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No confirmation yet, but it is likely the case, but the missile likely YJ-12 instead of old YJ-83

The space amidships looks much bigger than expected for just slanted launchers

Any top view photos to see if there are any structures there?