054B/new generation frigate

It seems like this picture of HP's 054B hasn't been posted yet in the thread; it captures the full length of the ship in a single shot, which has not yet been posted for the HP hull afaik

A few more close-up details.

There is something I'm trying to understand.
054A: 4000 ton
054B: 6000 ton

The 054B got a nice AESA radar, but they both got the same weapon, 32 VLS and 8x slanted launcher for antiship missiles.
What 054B got more over 054A to get that 50% tonnage increase?
I don't understand. Can someone clarify?

^Better crew comfort, more room for future upgrades, better sea keeping. Has the displacement been confirmed? Also, I think it's looking more sleek as better photos come out.

sr338 said:

There is something I'm trying to understand.
054A: 4000 ton
054B: 6000 ton

The 054B got a nice AESA radar, but they both got the same weapon, 32 VLS and 8x slanted launcher for antiship missiles.
What 054B got more over 054A to get that 50% tonnage increase?
I don't understand. Can someone clarify?

Click to expand...

Still holding out for UVLS amidships. Recent photos of 075 at HP Shanghai have a large blue crane 'artfully' blocking the view of the midships of the 054B moored nearby. Coincidence? Maybe not.

sr338 said:

There is something I'm trying to understand.
054A: 4000 ton
054B: 6000 ton

The 054B got a nice AESA radar, but they both got the same weapon, 32 VLS and 8x slanted launcher for antiship missiles.
What 054B got more over 054A to get that 50% tonnage increase?
I don't understand. Can someone clarify?

Click to expand...

Improvements to the powerplant and propulsion systems would be my guess. Those are not small or lightweight components.

Some images showing Huangpu shipyard's first 054B being prepared for launch. The details match up (e.g. the floating dock, the Coast Guard vessel to its left, etc.)

(Continued from above...)

sr338 said:

There is something I'm trying to understand.
054A: 4000 ton
054B: 6000 ton

The 054B got a nice AESA radar, but they both got the same weapon, 32 VLS and 8x slanted launcher for antiship missiles.
What 054B got more over 054A to get that 50% tonnage increase?
I don't understand. Can someone clarify?

Click to expand...

Although they are both 32VLS, the differences in fire control radars lead to great differences in the anti-aircraft missiles used.
The old version 054A equipped with MR90 uses 40km HQ-16,
The latest AESA-equipped 054A uses the 70km HQ-16C,
The 054b, which is not equipped with similar fire control radar, may use the 160km HQ-16F.

Another one. Posted by @是的无为 on Weibo.