054B/new generation frigate

TK3600 said:

Obviously 052D and 054A is not going to retire yet. I am just thinking how would a 4 tier navy in China work. 054A, 054B, 052D, 055. Perhaps 054A could serve as the cheap all purpose patrol ship while 054B follow the more high intensity combat oriented role? In that case it will be 054B, 052D, 055 composition? 052D is still very good so it is definitely in. Or perhaps all 4 will be working together?

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Also remember that there are many 056 out there, ~70 ships ... which is more than enough for coastal patrol and light duty

054A is good and was excellent choice at that time early mid 2000s .. but now need much more

Another option to sell 054A to friendly nations ... of course after have enough 054B

I think this type is going to be built a lot. The major task is detecting and blocking US submarines near Taiwan in the war.

antiterror13 said:

Also remember that there are many 056 out there, ~70 ships ... which is more than enough for coastal patrol and light duty

054A is good and was excellent choice at that time early mid 2000s .. but now need much more

Another option to sell 054A to friendly nations ... of course after have enough 054B

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056A has retired to coast guard duty only, no longer in PLAN.

TK3600 said:

Obviously 052D and 054A is not going to retire yet. I am just thinking how would a 4 tier navy in China work. 054A, 054B, 052D, 055. Perhaps 054A could serve as the cheap all purpose patrol ship while 054B follow the more high intensity combat oriented role? In that case it will be 054B, 052D, 055 composition? 052D is still very good so it is definitely in. Or perhaps all 4 will be working together?

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A 4-tier system of surface combatants for PLAN would be too much by making things unnecessarily complex.

Besides, the 054As essentially function the same way in the same role as the 054Bs, albeit being less capable. That means instead of assigning them to carrier strike groups and/or expeditionary strike groups that are more effort-demanding, they can be assigned to surface action groups or escorting transport ship convoys which would be less effort-demanding, for that matter.

So there isn't any need to classify the 054As seperately from the 054Bs.

TK3600 said:

056A has retired to coast guard duty only, no longer in PLAN.

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No, only the 22x 056s have been handed over to the CCG. All the 50x 056As are still in active service with the PLAN.

Worth recalling that PLAN still has 053H3 series frigates in service that also need replacing. According to Wiki eight hulls though not sure what the latest situation is. Yes, current 054A will likely assume some of that tasking but then again with the passing on of the original 22 056 the combined capacity is what it is.

Plus the two legacy 054s as well.

TK3600 said:

056A has retired to coast guard duty only, no longer in PLAN.

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Only some (~20ish) as coast guard, and the majority ~50ish still with PLAN ... you are right that more and more 056 will be handed over to coast guard ...

TK3600 said:

You mean in one batch or total? I think 054B will go over 50 in its life time. It will become the primary ship of PLAN.

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The frigate is highly unlikely to become primary ship for PLAN in the first place.
As of 2020s it just doesn't make sense.
Note that numbers don't equal to primacy.

TK3600 said:

056A has retired to coast guard duty only, no longer in PLAN.

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Only the first twenty (those that didn't carry ASW suite). The main series, all the ASW-capable ones, are in the navy.

Interestingly, this Weibo user –– whom I regard as credible –– seems to suggest that .

In the image below, from left to right: 054A, 054AP (for Pakistan), and 054B. The compartments/openings in the red boxes are diesels. In the case of 054B (far right), each compartment contains a pair of diesels, for a total of four diesel engines. In the blue boxes are gearboxes connecting the diesels. The yellow box is the electric drive compartment, which directly connects to the propeller shafts.



The same Weibo user also suggests the image below depicts the general design of the 054B, and that there are two masts in the forward structure. He also mentions the bridge is located closer to the bow compared to 054A.

by78 said:

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Ah yes, the obligatory "fvck lyman2003's mom to death if he stole the picture" photostamp.