FFG 054/054A Thread

[Jeff Head]

we don't know what it's called, it's just some Internet warriors guessing on the penant of the first launched ship.

Anyhow, I think this is simply the best looking VLS picture we've seen so far. From the AK-176 on the right side, it's clear that this is from 054A. Looks like the VLS is slightly slanted.
[qimg]http://img339.imageshack.us/img339/8339/054avlsbestviewjune10tf2.jpg[/qimg]

This is a model of it from 4 years ago
[qimg]http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/5025/054avlsmodelyw1.jpg[/qimg]

I am not disputing that this is an HQ16 layout. But the angles just do not look quite right for installation in that picture. The edge of the hull, seen on the extreme left, should almost be parallel with the lines of the mount at that point...yet it seems to be angling too far away. Also, behind the missile mount, it just seems too wide.

Are we sure that this is not a mount on a test ship? I know the naval gun is right so I want to believe it is a 054A...still, those angles just seem wrong.

Now, do not get me wrong, I still believe that the 054A will have 32 cells, the pic just looks odd. Perhaps it is the angle it was taken...but those two lines, the line of the hull and the line of the VLS housing should still be almost parallel there close to the VLS.

 

[oringo]

I am not disputing that this is an HQ16 layout. But the angles just do not look quite right for installation in that picture. The edge of the hull, seen on the extreme left, should almost be parallel with the lines of the mount at that point...yet it seems to be angling too far away. Also, behind the missile mount, it just seems too wide.

It doesn't surprise me that the edge of the hull isn't parallel to the edge of the VLS, since it's the front of the hull where the edges are curving upwards and converging. It's the combination of the converging and curving upwards that made your eyes believe that it's angling more than it's supposed to.

 

[Jeff Head]

It doesn't surprise me that the edge of the hull isn't parallel to the edge of the VLS, since it's the front of the hull where the edges are curving upwards and converging. It's the combination of the converging and curving upwards that made your eyes believe that it's angling more than it's supposed to.

I've looked at a lot of ships over the years...that angle seems just too pronounced. When you compare other pictures of the 054A from what appears the same relative angle, the angles just do not seem as pronounced. Even the model picture that tphuang provided is indicative of this.

Anyhow...it probably does not matter. I still just wonder if that is an actual picture of the HQ16 on an 054A.

 

[tphuang]

I am not disputing that this is an HQ16 layout. But the angles just do not look quite right for installation in that picture. The edge of the hull, seen on the extreme left, should almost be parallel with the lines of the mount at that point...yet it seems to be angling too far away. Also, behind the missile mount, it just seems too wide.

Are we sure that this is not a mount on a test ship? I know the naval gun is right so I want to believe it is a 054A...still, those angles just seem wrong.

Now, do not get me wrong, I still believe that the 054A will have 32 cells, the pic just looks odd. Perhaps it is the angle it was taken...but those two lines, the line of the hull and the line of the VLS housing should still be almost parallel there close to the VLS.

Hey Jeff, very good observation. I took a look at 891, the only test ship believed to have installed this VLS. It does not have the AK-176 clone and also is believed to have a HH-9 VLS beside it I think.
This is the HH-16 on 891

Also, I took a look at a previous picture, you can check here.

This is kind of bad similarity, but it appears that the 2 doors are located in the same position on both pictures.

Ok, you won. It has 32 cels

But these are the pics we have waiting for...grumby me doesent belive nothing more than his own eyes...poor me

no worries, I think we've all been waiting for this shot. Does the slanted angle make this cold launched?

 

[kickars]

I think that's what we've all been waiting for. So 32 is the final number. Actually there is space left for more. And when you compare the lids to the doors behind them, they seem to be quite big (just under 1 square metre, coz I think most doors are about 1 metre wide). To me they look even bigger than the ones on 052C which are designed for long range missiles). I wonder what else they can put under those lids. :china:

 

[Totoro]

Though i don't see exhaust vents, which would indicate hot launch, i also must say that slant is nowhere near enough to make the cold launched missiles clear the ship if engine doesn't ignite. So that points to hot launch...

 

[tphuang]

Though i don't see exhaust vents, which would indicate hot launch, i also must say that slant is nowhere near enough to make the cold launched missiles clear the ship if engine doesn't ignite. So that points to hot launch...

i didn't see any exhaust vent either, that's why I was thinking it might not be hot launched after all. I do agree that the slant is not that significant.

 

[szbd]

I think the launchers are not pure verticle? There seems to be an angle? or the deck is not horizontal?

 

[gordonblade]

But the angles just do not look quite right for installation in that picture. The edge of the hull, seen on the extreme left, should almost be parallel with the lines of the mount at that point...yet it seems to be angling too far away. Also, behind the missile mount, it just seems too wide.

Look closely on the model, the edge of the hull, seen on the extreme left as you mentioned is actually gradually going upward towards the front, and therefore from the actual photo, although it looks like it is angling inward too far away due to perspective, it is actually almost parallel to the vls and going upward instead.

 

[szbd]

i didn't see any exhaust vent either, that's why I was thinking it might not be hot launched after all. I do agree that the slant is not that significant.

The MK41's exhaust vent is in the middle of the two rows. The VLS of 054A looks almost identicle to MK41.