056 class FFL/corvette

Guys, at this time we lack 056's aft pic, which we can expect to solve by next May, if and when the induction into HK garrison proceed smoothly...

Give it 10 more months, and then we'll have more solid evidence to settle the TAS argument.

However, the 056 lack the characteristic anti-sub rocket launcher, that might give you some idea on how and what way PLAN intend the 056 to be.

MwRYum said:

Guys, at this time we lack 056's aft pic, which we can expect to solve by next May, if and when the induction into HK garrison proceed smoothly...

Give it 10 more months, and then we'll have more solid evidence to settle the TAS argument.

However, the 056 lack the characteristic anti-sub rocket launcher, that might give you some idea on how and what way PLAN intend the 056 to be.

Click to expand...

We already have a very good aft shot from when the 056 was launched.

no_name said:

Click to expand...

That should tell you all you need to know about what the hole is for.

Hint, look at where the aft mooring posts are and consider how similar ships with open rear ends are moored. So, if the hole isn't used for mooring lines, what else could it possibly be for?

As for the lack of ASW rockets, well you need to consider just how small the 056 is. The traditional area in front of the main gun is already taken up with the anchor and front mooring posts. There is simply no room to put in ASW rockets there.

plawolf said:

We already have a very good aft shot from when the 056 was launched.



That should tell you all you need to know about what the hole is for.

Hint, look at where the aft mooring posts are and consider how similar ships with open rear ends are moored. So, if the hole isn't used for mooring lines, what else could it possibly be for?

As for the lack of ASW rockets, well you need to consider just how small the 056 is. The traditional area in front of the main gun is already taken up with the anchor and front mooring posts. There is simply no room to put in ASW rockets there.

Click to expand...

You know, I was SO hoping you would go there again. And you did not disappoint...

Well you know what? You're absolutely right. Those black-colored rear holes aren't for mooring purposes; they are for TAS fo sho. Here's a really nice photo of the 052C at pierside with a TAS line coming out the back:



Forget the Chinese in that photo, it's obviously all wrong and you're right. It looks like there is ANOTHER TAS line coming out the starboard side too! And ANOTHER TAS hole on the port side, meaning the 052C could string 3 TAS at the same time for more sub detection powa!

Here is another 052C with TWO TAS lines coming out the back!! omg does that mean the 052C could have SIX TAS lines in there??? This is just too much. Say it ain't so, holmes:



The 052B has even moar greater sub detection powa with 4 TAS holes (for 8 TAS lines??!!):



Here is a Luhu with VDS AND (COUNT IT) FIVE TAS lines coming out just one of it's two TAS holes. The Luhu is most assuredly a 'super-"potent"' ASW platform. This is an absolutely astounding find. I wonder why nobody ever picked up on it before:



I am just shocked. I don't know what to say anymore...

At this point and time we can't say whether 056 does have TAS, but from pics of when it was still in drydock we see it has bow sonar. Further, we can see it has triple light torpedo launchers on the inside of the small "hangars" (meaning I do not think they are able to embark UAVs within them, or if they are, it will end up being a tight fit).

For a ship of its size (~1500 ton max), 056 carries a decent ASW suite. The comparable weight and slightly heavier K130 is not equipped with any sonar or ASW weapons at all I believe. Clearly 056 is a ship meant to be orientated to ASW for how big a ship it is.

And I would be astounded if it could not rearm or refuel helicopters.

You must be joking about the TAS. I guess no photo in the world will overcome blinding bias.

Triple torpedo launchers aren't for offensive ASW, they are for defensive ASW. Clearly you do not understand this detail. Offensive ASW consists of helos, planes, and ASROC or VLA-type weapons with a standoff reach. When you allow a sub to get within range of your own torpedoes, you're already behind the eight-ball.

Bow sonars also aren't for offensive ASW, they are for defensive ASW. Perhaps you could be forgiven for not knowing that bow sonars, like all active sonars, can be heard by enemy subs long before they can pick up anything useful. And since they are active sonars, the only use they have is when they emit. And when they emit, they just told every sub for possibly hundreds of km around them that they are in the area. Those subs that do not want to be found will have left the area long before you can even hope to pick them up with a return ping. Medium frequency bow sonars are useful for tracking a known sub, getting a fix on a sub you know or suspect is close by, or to track incoming torpedoes or other nearby underwater objects.

I'm certain the 056 could refuel an ASW helo, but I would not be shocked at all if it could not rearm them. In fact I would be shocked if they could. They are not the same thing, didn't you know?

The 056 is a ship that is just large enough for enemy subs to want to spend time sinking, and just large enough to be able to mount some kind of defense against them. Defensive ASW is a deficiency of the K130, not some extraordinary find on the 056.

---------- Post added at 06:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:51 PM ----------

Let me help you two out and make it unambiguously clear to you how mooring works on these ships:

Mysterre said:

Click to expand...

This ship has a TAS. The question I have is, do all TAS have to be configured in this manner? I looked at some rear shots of Arleigh Burke class destroyers and don't see a TAS in the back. Does that mean those units lack ASW capability?

joshuatree said:

This ship has a TAS. The question I have is, do all TAS have to be configured in this manner? I looked at some rear shots of Arleigh Burke class destroyers and don't see a TAS in the back. Does that mean those units lack ASW capability?

Click to expand...

This Luhu that you have pictured does not have a TAS. Period.

joshuatree said:

This ship has a TAS. The question I have is, do all TAS have to be configured in this manner? I looked at some rear shots of Arleigh Burke class destroyers and don't see a TAS in the back. Does that mean those units lack ASW capability?

Click to expand...

It has an VDS (variable depth sonar), not TAS. After the upgrade it now has a TAS with a cover on the release port.

Mysterre said:

This Luhu that you have pictured does not have a TAS. Period.

Click to expand...

Uhh...I believe it just got one in the latest update/refit.

Best check on that. I'm pretty postivie it did not have one before.

hmmwv said:

It has an VDS (variable depth sonar), not TAS. After the upgrade it now has a TAS with a cover on the release port.
View attachment 6605View attachment 6606

Click to expand...

Thanks, I've learned something new, VDS vs TAS. So, assuming a TAS isn't too big of a device, I can see the possibility of future 056 hulls modified on the back end like this pic. The 056 is basically PLAN's littoral ship so having different variations based off the same basic hull is completely reasonable. We'll just have to see down the road.

Some of the discussion is intriguing. For instance, say they do make a version without the landing pad, that does give back significant real estate for other purposes. Enough to beef up the suite of defenses and mount more sensors to be a command ship to work with a flotilla of 022s. The islands in the SCS present many shallow areas that would give larger warships additional unwanted concerns when operating in a battle situation. Besides, if open hostilities do happen in those areas, they will be more of skirmishes rather than flat out large scale operations so varying flavors of 056s would suffice. Don't know what the draft is on the 056 but if it's like the 053Hs at about 10.5 ft, then they will be able to traverse shallow areas even better than the US LCSs.