FFG 054/054A Thread

[Mashan]

Absolutely, now it seems to be in serial production. 6 seem to have been completed or near completion. Rejoice.:nana:

 

[Blitz]

the VLS is square and 32 unit,sure enough.it is obviously shown in early pics.
I think the PLAN is making efforts to make it to compatible with HH-9.

 

[antiterror13]

I believe it will have 32 units VLS, PLAN is not stupid enough to build new frigate with only 16 units VLS.

is the VLS system on 054A from indigenous system or from Russia ?

btw, this 054A is way bigger and heavier than Singaporean RSS Formidable or French La Fayette. which one is more modern and have more fire power ?

 

[Gollevainen]

the VLS is square and 32 unit,sure enough.it is obviously shown in early pics.
I think the PLAN is making efforts to make it to compatible with HH-9.

It isent square, and that Pretty obvious to look from many pictures.....But the recantulal shape of it is the strong advocate of 32 missiles....in square, one could ecxept 64 missiles wich is in otherhand too much for the size of the unit....

And what comes to the missiles they most propaply are HQ-16/SA-N-12 family, not HQ-9 as the main radar fit and expecially the illuminators indicate....Lot will be known when the Russian Sergei Gorskov completes, as some sources have shown similar VSL module as in 054A...

 

[adeptitus]

I believe it will have 32 units VLS, PLAN is not stupid enough to build new frigate with only 16 units VLS.

is the VLS system on 054A from indigenous system or from Russia ?

btw, this 054A is way bigger and heavier than Singaporean RSS Formidable or French La Fayette. which one is more modern and have more fire power ?

You can compare to the RSS Formidable weapon systems here:

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The Singapore frigate is equipped with modern European sensors and technology, plus TAS system for ASW warfare. It's a better "multipurpose" ship than the 054A, which is more of a "General Purpose" frigate.

In terms of firepower, both the YJ-83 and Harpoon SSM have similar range, but I think the Harpoon SSM has a heavier warhead. Though, if you look at how ships are build these days, I doubt most frigates would survive a direct hit from either missile without being mission-killed.

 

[tphuang]

latest action from HP shipyard. Note, from previous pictures, I'm pretty sure the one next to 526 is the 2nd 054A and the one away is the 1st.
You can see some type 22s there too.

 

[tphuang]

Third 054A is now getting blocked by this, how convenient. Probably won't get a new picture of this for the next 2 months now.

Back to my favourite topic of PLAN with this new mysterious radar with Orekh

apparently, the test trial is about to start

btw, I've been looking at 071, does anyone know what the big sphere is for?

Also doing a little thinking, I came up with a little theory on the highlighted sensor

It is where type 344 used to be on 054. And it seems like 344 is not anywhere on the ship. It leads me to believe that this must be the new FCR for AK-176m. At the same time, you might have noticed that there is a sensor always with green cover on in a similar position on 071, I suspect it's also the same FCR.

As for Formidable vs 054A, had many debates with the same person on this.
For a little summary, in Formidable's advantage:
- clear advantage in stealthiness
- having an advanced towed array sonar
- generally, having better ASW package
- equipped with a better helicopter (seahawk vs helix)
- Oto Melara 76mm is a better gun in terms of the rounds used
- Herakles is an advanced MFR that 054A doesn't have
- Aster 15 being active guided meaning more targets can be engaged than HH-16
- Aster 15 is most likely a superior missile to HH-16
- Harpoon probably has better ECM and targetting than YJ-83

054A's advantage,
- larger size, uses more powerful diesel engine
- has bow mounted sonar -> unclear on whether it has VDS or not
- likely operating in an environment with numerous aerial asset, so ka-28's inability to provide OTH targetting with not be a problem
- has bandstand + lightbulb for OTH targetting/datalink
- AK-176m has faster rate of fire
- Has two Type 730 CIWS, easily evening out the # of targets engaged
- has SR-64 which is a dedicated radar is very effective at tracking low altitude, subsonic to high supersonic AShM + dedicated VSR in Sea Eagle
- Even though SARH, having illuminators means greater resistance to ECM
- YJ-83 is supersonic in terminal stage and also has longer range

both have pros and cons. A lot of things are dependent on your preference, really.

 

[crobato]

HH-16 is likely to outrange Aster 15, if HH-16 is close to Shtil 1. That's 50km vs. 30km against aircraft. Chances are good that the HH-16 may even outrange Shtil 1, because the size of the illuminators is bigger than the Orekhs, suggesting greater power for more illumination range.

 

[tphuang]

yeah, I forgot the range part, I'm pretty sure HH-16 goes further too.

pictures from Hudong, the 2nd ones progress is still disappointingly slow. Other than that, first 054A seems to still have plenty of work being done on it.

 

[Kilo636]

yeah, I forgot the range part, I'm pretty sure HH-16 goes further too.

pictures from Hudong, the 2nd ones progress is still disappointingly slow. Other than that, first 054A seems to still have plenty of work being done on it.

Maybe the PLAＮ wants to put the first 054A into sea trial first to identify any defect so that they can correct it on 2nd 054A. That is why 1st 054A progress is so fast while 2nd 054A is so slow... But PLAN at the same time don want slow down production of 054A and allow 2nd 054A to be constructed while 1st 054A still awaiting sea trial.

They may be confident of the structure and design of 054A but still not sure of the sensor and sytem onboard it! Therefore the sucess of 1st 054A is very critical.....