It's very useful for ASW in China's backyard.
056 class FFL/corvette
- Thread starter dingyibvs
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plawolf
Lieutenant General
Not every ship in the PLAN is intended to fight the USN.
But even against the USN, these offer significant capabilities well above their weight class when it comes to ASW, with the ASW versions have both towed sonar and VDS, which is impressive even for 054A tonnage frigates.
They also pack torpedoes and can act as FOB and mobile refuelling and rearming stations for ASW helicopters from the rest of the fleet, massively expanding their operating footprint and operational duration.
Any USN commander would discount these to their cost. Especially in a SCS or Taiwan scenario.
Wouldn't they get picked off by F35s? I feel like they would be basically defenceless against F35's with NSMs, unless I'm sorely underestimating PLA's area air defence and networking capabilities
F-35s? From CVNs? You'll see why CVs are totally useless in the SCS...
They are meant to operate in areas protected by land-based fighters flying CAP. Lots of Y-20U's will be very useful.
lcloo
Captain
Type 056's air defence is excellent for ships of its weight class. HQ-10 is for self defence and is considered having better performance than the longer range HQ-7. These ships's mission roles are littoral - port and navy base patrol and defence, shallow coastal ASW patrol, escorts for larger capital ships leaving and arriving at ports/bases etc.
This puts their areas of operation behind that of larger ships equiped with area defence missiles, and also linked to the radar and other sensors to DDGs and FFGs, and as well as KG500/KG2000/KG2000 by real time datalink which give type 056 ample early warning of air intrusions near them.
Type 056 acting alone may happen to smaller nations, but China can afford to deploy them as part of 3D deployment, providing mutual supports.
If F-35 is opponent, its target would be the far more valuable ships like aircraft carriers, destroyers and frigates. And these ships also provide area air defence umbrella for type 056.
A very simplified approach to understanding a Fleet
✓Corvette (056): ASW
✓Frigate (054): oceanic Corvette + Auto defence against ASCM = Escort, and fulfills the function of a Destroyer in other circumstances
✓Destroyer (052): Frigate + Anti-Aircraft (= Big Radar)
✓Cruiser (055): Big Destroyer + Strike
✓Corvette (056): ASW
✓Frigate (054): oceanic Corvette + Auto defence against ASCM = Escort, and fulfills the function of a Destroyer in other circumstances
✓Destroyer (052): Frigate + Anti-Aircraft (= Big Radar)
✓Cruiser (055): Big Destroyer + Strike
Type 056As would be protected by 055s, 052Ds and the PLAAF. Type 22s and Type 056As are extremely useful assets within the first island chain.
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