056 class FFL/corvette

delft said:

I think that at a relatively low sea state and wind speed, compared with larger ships, a 056 will not be able to launch and recover a helicopter. That helicopter will be useless stored safely in a hangar.

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There is nothing that would keep a Type 056 equipped with a hanger from launching and recovering an ASW helicopter safely and effectively. And if they equipped it with the proper equipment, it could do it in very healthy and strong sea states.

They have a landing pad on the vessel already and we have seen Z-9s operating off of them. They are there for a reason and it is to be able to use the Type 056 as a temporary staging area for ASW helos that would then RTB after the mission.

With a hanger, they could stay on the ship, get refueled, be re-armed, and even have maintenance work done. That is not "useless", that would mean the helo is available there at sea with much more fuel for any mission they needed it for.

But, the PLAN figures, I am sure, that given the mission profile of the Type 056, it is just as well that the helo RTB for those things and that they keep the vessel at its current size and with its current capabilities. I understand that and have no problem with it. The vessel is a great design as is. This was all based on one simple comment of mine about something I thought they "might" have done to the Type 056..

Here is an example how you can do landing into quite small patrol ship in very extreme condition. And 056 is much bigger than that patrol ship. This is from somewhere in North Sea

.[video=youtube;eTsKjZ6IAQc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTsKjZ6IAQc[/video]

Since it is the Danish KNUD RASMUSSEN class P571 EJNAR MIKKELSEN, it is more likely to be in Greenland waters. In terms of displacement, it is actually bigger than Type 056 (1,720 t), but shorter (71,8 x 14,6 m).

Gorthaur said:

Here is an example how you can do landing into quite small patrol ship in very extreme condition. And 056 is much bigger than that patrol ship. This is from somewhere in North Sea.

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That is a great video of the Danish OPV recovering its helo.

Those are some hefty sea states for a small OPV to be recovering their helo and that helo pilot and deck handler did a GREAT job.

The Knud Rasmussen are really nice OPVs for the Arctic conditions. Stregthened hulls to break through like 24-30" of ice, and very modular so their armament and mission profile can be altered readlity. They usually have a 76mm gun and a couple of .50 caliber guns, but also have modules to add ESSM and a couple of braces of ASW torpedoes to their armament...and there is room for those modules withpout impacting the other armament.

Their problem is that they lack a hanger, they have limited endurance, and their speed (at 17 knots) is also lacking for the types of Offshaore Patrols most nations would like.

But, for their principle dutites in the frigid north, they are well suited.

To lengthen them, give them more endurance, faster speed and the hanger would all require a significant redesign.

But that video is worth watching any time!

Gorthaur said:

Here is an example how you can do landing into quite small patrol ship in very extreme condition. And 056 is much bigger than that patrol ship. This is from somewhere in North Sea

.[video=youtube;eTsKjZ6IAQc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTsKjZ6IAQc[/video]

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I like it. It's horrible, but I like it. But I can easily imagine that it would be less stressful for the pilot to fly an hour to land base or a helicopter carrier than to get fuel and ordnance or even eight hours sleep on an OPV under these circumstances of weather and waves.

Gorthaur said:

Here is an example how you can do landing into quite small patrol ship in very extreme condition. And 056 is much bigger than that patrol ship. This is from somewhere in North Sea

.[video=youtube;eTsKjZ6IAQc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTsKjZ6IAQc[/video]

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or they can use the RAST system which is ideal for landing helo in rough sea states especially on smaller vessels.

franco-russe said:

Since it is the Danish KNUD RASMUSSEN class P571 EJNAR MIKKELSEN, it is more likely to be in Greenland waters. In terms of displacement, it is actually bigger than Type 056 (1,720 t), but shorter (71,8 x 14,6 m).

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Thank You for the details. I was merely pointing out that one could land on smaller ships even in bad weather. It is just one thing that 056 is not missing. Maybe TAS would be nice, but you can't have everything, can you?

Just picking up on the long running TAS debate on this thread.......

Given that the 056 is only likely to be active in the waters of the near abroad and given that surely the PLA; especially throughout the disputed/occupied reefs of the SCS etc, will have built a complex network of Sonar Buoys and listening devices throughout, is it not most likely that rather than take up valuable limited space with its own listening systems, it will simply be cued via data link from the coastal defence systems?

Gorthaur said:

Here is an example how you can do landing into quite small patrol ship in very extreme condition. And 056 is much bigger than that patrol ship. This is from somewhere in North Sea

.[video=youtube;eTsKjZ6IAQc]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTsKjZ6IAQc[/video]

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oh my friggin god I nearly crapped my pants watching that landing! jesus that pilot needs to be given a medal.

SampanViking said:

Just picking up on the long running TAS debate on this thread.......

Given that the 056 is only likely to be active in the waters of the near abroad and given that surely the PLA; especially throughout the disputed/occupied reefs of the SCS etc, will have built a complex network of Sonar Buoys and listening devices throughout, is it not most likely that rather than take up valuable limited space with its own listening systems, it will simply be cued via data link from the coastal defence systems?

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How do you transmit the sonar info or the sub location to the 056 ships?