054B/new generation frigate
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
Not a great article. Seems like they just translated a Chinese language fan written article on 054B.
While some of the things it describes is likely going to be correct (per our own projections), it coaches everything too confidently without sufficient acknowledgement that we only have very educated guesses rather than definitely knowing what it'll be like.
The inclusion of the fan art, even if it is only for illustrative purposes, doesn't help.
Recall that the 052Ds are slightly longer than the Burke DDGs, yet having narrower beam and smaller draft than the Burkes. This is also why the Burkes displace on-average 1000-2000 tons more than the 052Ds at full load, depending on flight number.
The 055s, while having the same beam as the Burkes, is much longer and displace way more than the Burkes, while having just slightly deeper draft than the 052Ds. Meanwhile, the Constellations have similar beam to the Burkes.
So if the 054Bs has a wider beam than the 052Ds, then I believe that the next-gen Chinese DDGs (let's put 052E) could have a new hull design with a wider beam than the 052Ds, perhaps similar to the 055s/Burkes and displaces somewhere between the 052Ds and 055s. The contributor to the increase in the dimension on the 052E can be due to larger number of weapon systems, larger powerplant systems, more powerful sensor and radar suits, etc.
The 055s, while having the same beam as the Burkes, is much longer and displace way more than the Burkes, while having just slightly deeper draft than the 052Ds. Meanwhile, the Constellations have similar beam to the Burkes.
So if the 054Bs has a wider beam than the 052Ds, then I believe that the next-gen Chinese DDGs (let's put 052E) could have a new hull design with a wider beam than the 052Ds, perhaps similar to the 055s/Burkes and displaces somewhere between the 052Ds and 055s. The contributor to the increase in the dimension on the 052E can be due to larger number of weapon systems, larger powerplant systems, more powerful sensor and radar suits, etc.
Yes, there is a prevailing trend that newer classes of surface combatants in the same role as legacy surface combatants tend to be larger with greater beams. If there is a new generation medium destroyer to replace 052C/D, such a ship would likely have a greater beam than them as well.
But for 054B's beam, recall that 052C/D have a beam of 18m.
054B likely has a beam greater than that of 054A, but we do not yet know if its beam is greater than 052C/D.
If anything I suspect 054B will be perhaps just a bit narrower than 052C/D.
Regarding carried watercraft and aircraft, what are your expectations from the 054B? Most of us here are logically expecting a ship that is complementary to the destroyers. It doesn't make sense for China to build yet another class of ASuW and AAW focused ships when it has the 052D and 055. The expectation is a ship with long-range and ASW focus. I also think UUVs and USVs are getting important and current ships don't have the capability to meaningfully deploy them.
Do you think we will see a double helicopter set-up, and/or multi-mission modules?
I'll address the last sentence question first.
I don't think 054B will be designed around multi-mission modules. Multi mission modules is useful for lower end roles and/or if your navy doesn't have enough ships of specific dedicated roles, forcing you to have make your surface combatants do other jobs. Multi-mission module spaces also take up volume and structure.
I'm not sure if 054B will have a single helicopter hangar or two.
Obviously having two helicopters would be substantially more capable in terms of ASW especially, but whether it's worth the topside structural weight is another matter.
It's worth keeping in mind the Constellation class, French FREMM, and even some ASW oriented variants of the Type 26, will only have one helicopter hangar as well.
As for 054B's role, my view towards certain things like ASW, AAW, and ASuW is -- "what was considered very capable in the past, will be considered normal in the future, and what we consider capable in the future will be even moreso than what is considered capable now" as a trend.
I speculate that certain capabilities that in the past may have been only seen on 052C/D and 055, will be commoditized and normalized as a baseline capability/minimum expectation for a proper frontline surface combatant like 054B. Meanwhile, 052C/D and 055 will of course still have some exclusive capabilities that 054B will lack.
I've written before, that my view is that if you want to be a modern, future proof, multirole frigate with robust capability to fight in a big boy war, then certain things like a relatively high end radar system, the ability to contribute to long range air defense (200km+) is important. And being able to handle a large number of incoming aerial targets simultaneously at medium range of course should be a given as well. And baseline normal ASuW capability is expected too. Whether baseline means YJ-12 or YJ-18 or YJ-83 is another matter.
(What 054B won't be able to do is handle an even larger number of incoming aerial targets simultaneously from all axes at medium and long range, and 054B won't be able to engage aerial targets at very long range (400km+) or do proper long range ABM -- those missions will still be the domain for 052D and 055)
Once the above baseline capabilities are met, then you can further subspecialize, and in the case of 054B, that will be in the ASW mission. IEPS, sonars, will all be part of that of course. Z-20F and UVLS compatible with VL ASW weapons is also part of the outfit.
All this said, I expect 054B's ASW suite and characteristics to migrate to other combatant classes (055 variants, perhaps a new medium destroyer to replace 052D in future) as well -- IEPS, sonars will be equipped on future ships, and Z-20F and UVLS of course are hardly exclusive to 054B either. In the same way that the capable AAW systems of current/past ships will be considered normal/baseline for 054B, I expect 054B's capable ASW systems will be considered normal/baseline for subsequent ship classes too.
However, 054B will likely still keep its title as a more ASW oriented ship even if it shares many ASW subsystems and even IEPS with future larger surface combatants.
Keep in mind that being able to produce more ships of a given class is also a benefit for a ASW oriented warship (i.e.: the ship should be more affordable relatively speaking to your other combatants), and in a way being more "expendable" (again, relative to your other bigger combatants) also makes a ASW warship better.
I do not think frigates are necessarily the best platform for deploying UUVs and USVs from, but perhaps 054B will have a limited ability to do so.
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052C/D beams is 18m or 17m? I've seen both numbers.
You need a dedicated mothership than can keep up with the carrier or surface task force otherwise. Bothering the carrier is unreasonable considering how complex they are. Destroyers like the 055 and 052D are packed tightly and they don't have the capability. A newly designed frigate on the other hand would be a convenient choice to integrate this capability. The capability to deploy 2-3 extra 11-12 meter boats could be fitted below the flight deck. I am arguing for this because I think USVs of the said size can be very beneficial for ASW and EW missions.
Note: China's shipbuilding industry makes the argument in favor of motherships stronger though.
The T26 has 1 dedicated large hangar, which can carry 2 Wildcat (super lynx) or 1 Merlin. It also has the ability to house a helicopter in its mission bay so it could theoretically carry 2 Merlins or 4 Wildcats.
I said some ASW variants of Type 26, so I was thinking of Hunter class specifically which is intended to carry one MH-60R.
I am not sure whether those kind of small USVs and UUVs would be useful to be carried by surface combatants in high intensity warfare in blue water.
For the PLA, I do not think this is a current priority, and certainly not for 054B.
I do think that USVs will be important for the PLAN in the medium to long term future, but they won't be small tonnage USVs carried internally in the bowels of a surface combatant.
But rather they would be 2000-3000t or larger vessels with VLS and near blue water mission distances. Essentially minimally manned light frigate displacement small arsenal ships.
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