What a beautiful vessel to behold…
054B/new generation frigate
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
It has the presence of a mini Type 055
How do you know they didn't? There's potentially room for another VLS amidships, TBC if it's actually there or not.
I find this unlikely. The PLA rarely does anything "for show". If anything, people wish they did more things for show instead of strict secrecy. If it is out, it is ready, WS-15, KJ-600, J-20, WS-20, etc.
Really though. I kinda find it funny how Western observers and journos predict some launch on some anniversary yet it never happens. "China doing things to show off or to look like something" is a well rooted totalitarianism trope though. We will keep hearing such predictions.
IMO that depends on the ship's mission. If the HQ-16F has a range of over 150 km, the small VLS is enough. Anti-ship capability can be added by box-launched YJ-12s. Remember, every capability comes at an opportunity cost.
Should frigate use destroyer vls? Do they have the sensor to make full use of range of the missiles?
Latest variant of HQ-16 has 160km range. This is comparable to SM-2 already.
That should be a cutout for the 2nd anchor.