Thanks for this image. Quite weird, it's very different looking from that other early 054B batch image and much more in line with this new batch image. (it is as if two different ships have been photographed. Yet it's obviously only a matter of different stage of construction with much of the temporary openings being in different places...) So much so that it's possible no significant changes were implemented.
054B/new generation frigate
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
Next to a 054A
Could it be the inability to generate sufficient electricity with diesel engines only? Maybe the level of electricity generation was not sufficient to allow the radar and other equipment to function at maximum capacity? For example, the 054B’s power generation does not even match those of the newest class of French frigate, despite the latter also powered by CODAD and have much smaller displacement.
lcloo
Major
Where did you got all these from? We don't even have real data on type 054B, how do you know if they are inferior compare to others?
Selective trolling doesn't work.
It would be very silly indeed if a brand new class like the 054B would not reserved any headroom for future electrical requirements. Who do you think is the wiser? Chinese naval ship designers or someone making baseless claims that a new design can't even handle the max electrical load of its first set of equipment?
Most warships don't use IEPS.
For propulsion, it can be diesel, gas turbines or steam boilers. Or any combination.
The electricity usually comes from a separate set of diesel generators (engines)
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Given that the Type-055 has 6 x 5MW diesel generators for future electricity demand, I would be very surprised if the Type-054B doesn't have sufficient electricity capacity for the future.
(For comparison, the Arleigh Burkes only have 3 x 4MW electricity generators)
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I would add the latest French (FDI) Frigate and the Type-054B look very similar in terms of sensors, weapons, propulsion and other capabilities.
Yet the Type-054B is over a thousand tonnes heavier. So what are they doing with the extra displacement, if not adding electricity generators?
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I believe a lot of the reason 054B displacement is significantly higher than 054A is that it is optimized for longer duration deployments so it has larger and more comfortable crew quarters, more consumables storage, etc. Most likely they did upgrade electricity generation capacity, especially as they know future subsystems will almost certainly keep increasing electricity demand, but the bulk of the increased tonnage from 054A probably went to allowing longer deployments.