056 class FFL/corvette

In my opinion, this design should be given to the coast guard while the navy should concentrate on building more 054As. But at the same time, the navy has a lot of out-dated ships... boats that need replacement, so I can understand why the 056 is needed.

I can see there is some confusion with regards to the role the 056 will be given.The civilian patrols can do a similar job and for more demanding tasks, the 054 would be better suited so where does the 056 fit in? Well the UK has recently acquired these type of vessels and they don't have much more than a big gun and Helo deck.Yes i understand the situation around the British Isles is much different from China but one of these vessels has been sent to the Falklands which is a potential flashpoint.The 056 will not be the primary means of defending China's shores so why do people feel they should be heavily armed? China has a lot of shoreline and river systems that can utilise the 056 but does it need to be a naval vessel? I don't have the answers nor the expertise or knowledge to talk with any conviction but these are the questions that i would like the answers to.If China were to get access to the sea of Japan then i would say that 056 would be a great asset.Anyone agree with that?

Zoom,

Bad example, the UK has nothing like the MSA, Chinese Coastguard or CMS.

If I had to guess, I would say that you are seeing the final piece of the major PLAN reconfiguration with the 056 Light Frigate intended to fill the gap currently occupied by the 037's, 6610'a and 053's.

Top end Frigates will be of the 054 family while FAC will be the 022's

The 056 Main Functions therefore ASW Mine Laying - Mine Detecting, General Recon and Coastal Patrol.

I am not sure about this one. But I am wondering, couldn't the Type 022 do the coastal patrol, general recon and mine detecting too? Plus with some modification, maybe removing the CWIS or some of the missile in its large missile launchers, and include ASW rockets or mine laying equipment, couldn't the Type 022 be used for ASW platform too?

Plus I am under the impression that 022 might be a cheap platform and so it would make sense to just use one platform for different mission, this would definitely save on development cost, logistic cost and maintanence costs too.

Type 022 does not have the range to do coastal patrol all around South China Sea. It does not have the endurance to do general recon. And the work of MCM is handled by those new MCM ships we see out of Shanghai. Type 022 is not made out of the right material to handle that kind of work.

I'm rather surprised that there is so much scepticism about the PLAN acquiring the Type 056. Surely the 054s are not going to be the ones do all the grunt work for the PLAN. That's what the 056s will be used for (022s being rather lacking in endurance).

PanAsian said:

I think the PLAN needs a seaworthy, small (read cheap) enough but flexible AA + ASh + AS platform that has high speed. If the Type 56's speed can keep pace with the Type 22's then I think it would be fulfilling the OPV role nicely. Still would like to see a CIWS in addition to the RAM though, even if just an AK630.

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I agree with the gun based CIWS. Commenting in "armchair admiral" mode, I'm not completely confident in missile based CIWS systems, though missiles offer better 360-degree coverage. As the last resort, I'd always like to have a nice 30mm auto-cannon to send a stream of hot metal at incoming targets.

IMO if we add up all the armchair admiral expectations for the 056, it defeats the purpose of the 056 as an inexpensive general purpose Corvette.

Hi,

Any latest news for 056 OPV/Corvette, any new pics of start of construction or the idea was scrapped.

China should build less frigates and more destroyers if it wants to expand its blue water navy. Although the new frigates can travel to Somalia, it is still just a patrol, not real wartime assignments. Plus, it can only carry a few missiles, which is not that effective when really putting it into use. China would need at least 10,000 ton class destroyers to make its navy formidable.

Tell the truth, I personally favour cruisers like Varyag and Peter the Great, but I think it should be Aegis style when made by the Chinese. Still vertical launch but sealed in universal launchers, just the tonnage matching Varyag class cruisers. Any countries would be shaken with that monster in their waterways.