What makes you think so?
054B/new generation frigate
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
This class just feels like a test-bed; a test-bed for new sensors and the improved new variant CODAD power plants.
They didn't bothered with any significant weapons upgrades compared to the 054A. They also didn't bother on aesthetically redesigning the main gun and instead stuck the old HPJ-87 100mm gun on them.
They are testing things out--power plant and sensors--with these two before moving on to the real next FFG.
One thing for sure though, they are forecasting what they want their next FFG to be; a ship capable of housing a Z-20F. This logical means an increase in size from the 054A which also means a newer CODAD to handle the increase in tonnage and the new power requirements for the new sensors.
Who knows where they move on from 054B but I think these two are one off.
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I'm not sure what you mean by "one off". There are 6 type 052C which is the most for any class of destroyers before the currently produced classes which introduced mass production (type 052D and 055). Maybe you meant type 051B which does only have 1 ship? Most of the rest has 2 ships (051C, 052, 052B).
Regardless there are now 2 type 054B in service so it's hard to say it's a one off ship. I suppose it's possible given the ongoing construction of 054A (or 054AG?) that they don't build any more 054B but we don't really have any evidence this is the case and there isn't much reason to think it will be like this.
None of these techs are however, disruptive and tech breaking. This isn't like the Type 052C the first two came in 2004, and just how many ships then have large AESA radars.
The first two 052C were like proving and debugging ships, and after all the problems were detected and sorted out, they gave approval to finish the last four ships with refinements added from the experience of the two ships. The first two 052D were also proving and debugging ships, and once issues were sorted out, the rest of the line were approved albeit with improvements and refinements addressing discovered issues.
The 052, 051B, 051C and 052B were more like failures for a whole bunch of issues like not performing well enough, specs that are sufficiently capable and got obsolete quickly, lack of long term potential and dependence on foreign parts. So they got axed on the vine and the PLAN moved on.
The pair of 054 were the intros to the entire line. They decided from the experience the ships lack enough combat potential and that led to the 054A. However the techs on the 054A were conservative and derivative, one might say it's also takes techs off the 052B and the Project 956. Nonetheless the first four 054A acted like proving and debugging ships.
The first pair of 054B are proving and debugging ships. Test beds are for testing individual new technologies. But other ships have already done that, namely the purposely made radar and weapons testing ships. These new 054B is testing and debugging out issues as a new class, the lessons of which will be applied to the next ships.
NK destroyer has got too large and tall superstructure to be elegant, reminds the German "Wardrobe" F-125.Maybe that just illustrates aesthetics arent everything.
Any idea what that is behind the Type 1130?Another nice magazine scan.
Hatch for maintainance access to Type 1130 perhaps. There is no doors on the front side of superstructure, nor ladders on the side of the platform where Type 1130 stands.