054B/new generation frigate

Tam said:

It would be more logical to have the ESM antenna and the radar together but the base of it won't support both at the same time. This antenna is huge in comparison to its predecessors, with the antenna needed to be supported by a semi pyramidal structure with four corners.

The generalist version may have a smaller lighter and more compact ESM antenna set behind the secondary phase array on a ledge --- see how the Type 075 does this as it uses this smaller array and has an antenna behind it.

Who knows what's the capabilities of this new antenna that it merits dominating the rear mast of the ship and for it to require a special variant?

Click to expand...

????

There are NOT two versions of 054B, there is one singular version.
The 054B launched from HP is the same as 054B, they just do not have the ESM mast (with associated radar cover) installed.

That is to say, both 054Bs will have the surface search radar and both have the ESM mast when fully fitted out.
- On the HD 054B we can't see the surface search radar because the ESM mast (with associated radar cover) is installed
- On the HP 054B we can see the surface search radar because the ESM mast (with associated radar cover) has yet to be installed.

sr338 said:

Bigger displacement is not a negative in itself, but a different radar mast and helicopter doesn't justify the 054B being 50% larger than 054A.

Click to expand...

That is a strange question. How does a new radar mast and helicopter justify a 50% larger hull? How do they relate to each other?

Why not a larger fuel/oil/water/munition/machinery room/larger and comfortable personnel accommodation/bigger propulsion system/bigger control room etc etc affect the size of the ship?

Ther are many things inside the hull that you do not see, no space inside a warship is wasted.

More pixels = more better.



(Yes, there is more real resolvable detail here than in other recently posted images)

[Never mind, found the answer]

sr338 said:

Let's compare with 052D then. It has 4 large AESA radar and 64 UVLS, yet it's only 1500ton larger than the 054B. While the 054B is 2000ton larger than 054A without much changes beside a new radar mast.

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Pls reread my post again. Why are you comparing 054D with 052B?
Totally different hull design and philosophy. And 054D or C for that matter is based of a design from the previous generation.
If you only care about sensors and weaponry packed into a small place, then you should ask PLAN to just buy Saar 6 corvettes.

Blitzo said:

????

There are NOT two versions of 054B, there is one singular version.
The 054B launched from HP is the same as 054B, they just do not have the ESM mast (with associated radar cover) installed.

That is to say, both 054Bs will have the surface search radar and both have the ESM mast when fully fitted out.
- On the HD 054B we can't see the surface search radar because the ESM mast (with associated radar cover) is installed
- On the HP 054B we can see the surface search radar because the ESM mast (with associated radar cover) has yet to be installed.

Click to expand...

I see now. The base of the ESM mast is the radome for the surface search radar. The base is an entire cone that fits right over the radar.

The design blows my mind.

Lethe said:

More pixels = more better.

(Yes, there is more real resolvable detail here than in other recently posted images)

Click to expand...

Yes. I can clearly see all the No Picture Allowed signs now

More high-resolution images.

well we will know the mystery of the mid section as time goes on, if they STILL don't install slant launchers closer to sea trials, or even after sea trials, or even at commissioning, then even there is no top down view, we can guess that there is indeed a mid VLS.

lcloo said:

That is a strange question. How does a new radar mast and helicopter justify a 50% larger hull? How do they relate to each other?

Why not a larger fuel/oil/water/munition/machinery room/larger and comfortable personnel accommodation/bigger propulsion system/bigger control room etc etc affect the size of the ship?

Ther are many things inside the hull that you do not see, no space inside a warship is wasted.

Click to expand...

There's a bit of a cascading effect. It's obvious the new radar cannot be supported by the previous mast due to its increased weight. This calls for a stronger, more heavily supported mast to hold the new radar.

The new mast with it's weight calls for a larger hull to counteract it's increased weight and raised center of gravity.

You take advantage of the larger hull by putting more fuel and stuff in it to weigh down the ship and keep it from being top heavy.

Since the radar, mast are heavier, the hull is bigger, you need more powerful engines to push all these, and the bigger engines add more weight and use more space. To retain the same range with the increases mass and weight, you need more fuel.

Cascading effect of weight also applies to designing aircraft to cars.