FFG 054/054A Thread

[duskylim]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

Dear Guys:

At CMF (Chinese Military Forum) zheng3pao has posted pictures of the 054A about to be launched. From what I can see, it confirms that the layout of the model presented by Huitong in CMA (Chinese Military Aviation).

There's definitely a Top Plate radar on top of the main mast, and a pair of Base Tilt (?) fire control radars on top of the superstructure for the SA N 12's/ HQ 16's SAMS.

There's no confirmation of the phased-array radars though, probably none. If construction continues to follow the model, we should see the 100 mm gun forwards, and a pair of Type 730 CIWS midships to port and starboard (you can just make out the antenna of the starboard mount, under a green colored canvas rig).

What's keeping me in suspense the VLS system. It would be quite gratifying to finally see it installed in one of the PLANs frigates. As to the nature of the vessel's ASW, we can only speculate. I have a feeling though those of you who bet on a Z-9 will collect.

Whadda ya think?

Best Regards,

Dusky Lim

 

[Kilo636]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

The Type054A will be a heavy weight frigate! Armed with 2 Type 730 CIWS and YJ-83 SSM,it will be even more better defense than 167 Shenzhen. I believe Type054A will be the first series of PLAN modern warship to be mass produced just like the Song Subs... In the past ,we see PLAN always exepriment with new type of warship by building only 2 same type before moving into another experimental type like the DDG 170,171---DDG 168,169---DDG114,115.. Type054A is reported to fit PLAN as a effective and cost solution warship for modernisation! Or cos it cannot match Aegis or Alreigh Burke DDG but is consider a massive lift compare to many region countries warship. Imagine 24 of these is build ,a massive fleet can be build up with cost effective solution with presentable air defense!

 

[Gollevainen]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

....except acorinding to the latest pics it seems to lack bow mounted sonar (there isen't that big "hump" in the bow bellow waternline) which makes me think that the ship will be fitted just a normal hull mounted sonar like in the earlier Jiangwei class which means that these "heavy frigates" like someone descriped them lacks the very defining aspect of all modern frigates, PROPER ASW...

 

[bd popeye]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

....except acorinding to the latest pics it seems to lack bow mounted sonar (there isen't that big "hump" in the bow bellow waternline) which makes me think that the ship will be fitted just a normal hull mounted sonar like in the earlier Jiangwei class which means that these "heavy frigates" like someone descriped them lacks the very defining aspect of all modern frigates, PROPER ASW...

Golly is correct. What's the use of having a "modern state of the art" FFG when in fact it is missing a major componet? Bow Sonar! And to add it later during a refit would be very expensive, time consuming & impractical.

 

[oringo]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

....except acorinding to the latest pics it seems to lack bow mounted sonar (there isen't that big "hump" in the bow bellow waternline) which makes me think that the ship will be fitted just a normal hull mounted sonar like in the earlier Jiangwei class which means that these "heavy frigates" like someone descriped them lacks the very defining aspect of all modern frigates, PROPER ASW...

Interesting point, Golly. I haven't seen a lot of report on PLAN's ASW technology, and these information are usually the most lacking on sinodefence.com too. Would you elaborate on that? Or is there a seperate thread for that sort of dicussion?

 

[Gollevainen]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

The reason why main site doesen't tell you much about ASW is that it's the main weakness of PLAN...there really isen't much to tell you about...

It's often sad to see that people just boast around the fancy SSMs and SAMs but neglets the not-so-apparent but crucial elements of modern navalwarfare and one part is ASW. From my obinion the weakness in ASW is much more alarming than the often advertized weak anti-air capability of PLAN. At the moment most PLAN major combatants are only capaple of selfdefence ASW work and lacks dedicated ASW hulls with good bow ( and perhaps a VDS) mounted sonars and effective ASW weaponary.

 

[swimmerXC]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

....except acorinding to the latest pics it seems to lack bow mounted sonar (there isen't that big "hump" in the bow bellow waternline) which makes me think that the ship will be fitted just a normal hull mounted sonar like in the earlier Jiangwei class which means that these "heavy frigates" like someone descriped them lacks the very defining aspect of all modern frigates, PROPER ASW...

Anybody else see that little hum in the bow?

Look at the bottom at the red circle...

 

[adeptitus]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

According to western sources such as Global Security and Missilethreat.com, which tends to always attribute Chinese systems to Russian or Western imports, this is how they describe the HQ-x series:

HQ-7 = CSF R-440 Sea Crotale
HQ-9A = S-300-PMU
HQ-10 = S-300-PMU-1
HQ-15 = S-300-PMU-2
HQ-16 = 9K38 Buk-M1-2 (SA-N-12)
HQ-17 = 9K331M Tor-M1 (SA-N-9)
HQ-18 = S-300V

IMO the PRC techs prolly copied, reverse-engineered, and improved these systems. The HQ-7A and HQ-9A are good examples. The HQ-16 is prolly a co-production and upgrade with Russia, or at least contain technologies licensed from the Bulk-M1-2.

The HQ-9A is mostly based on the the S-300 system, which was adopted for Russian naval use as the SA-N-6. If we look at the SA-N-9 installed on the Soviet Slava class cruiser, you'd notice they use revolver-style VLS cels:

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The Naval HQ-9 use very similiar configuration:

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It's not hard to draw a line and say, hmmm, they prolly imported the technology.

 

[Jeff Head]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

Anybody else see that little hum in the bow?
[qimg]http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/9823/hulldo0.png[/qimg]
Look at the bottom at the red circle...

Sure looks like a bow mounted sonar dome on the vessel in that pic to me.

This other pic, maybe older, also shows where that sonar would be.

 

[crobato]

Re: Type 054 FFG status

Yeah looks like bow sonar.

I don't think HQ-16 is real. PLAN appears well satisfied with the Shtil series. PLAAF uses the KS-1A for the ground based medium ranged SAM type with H200 phase array, which fills the same role as the Shtil's ground based version, the SA-7 aka Buk. However it would require substantial redesign of the ships to use the KS-1A and additional costs to navalize the system.

There are different versions of Top Plate, and its impossible to tell which is one by looking at them.