A universal VLS can be built into the existing 054A hull. So can be with other sensors, armaments, automation, even propulsion. To me, that's more like 054A+++ or Flight X. I don't think that's a development that should be held off. But are others thinking of frigates with their own scaled down AESA panels or a completely new hull? In that line of thought, I rather they ramp up 052D production and build up a sizeable destroyer fleet first.
I'm not sure if the 054 hull is large enough to install all the kinds of new generation subsystems we're thinking about, while also leaving enough space left for future refits and not to mention more space for crew (see the debacle facing Flight III Burke). But even if a new frigate was based on the same 054 hull with things like the new common VLS, new radar and mast, improved combat management system, and even new propulsion, that would more than validate an 054B designation. Given 052B, 052C, 052D were all successive evolutions of each other and the differences between 054 and 054A, I'd say the aforementioned modifications are more than enough to give it a wholly new designation.
Yes, IMO I'd prefer they build a slightly larger, new frigate hull to accommodate the new subsystems while also having more room for crew accommodations and room for maintenance overall. Frigate production will remain at HP and HD, they will continue building 052Ds and 055s at JN and DL.
I was thinking more about ship crew manpower. Shipyard resource and experience I am not too concerned about. As I suggested, one of two shipyards can switch gears to producing 052Ds. The other can still be 054A and that slows the production rate but the line is active for PLAN and any potential export orders.
I doubt we will see either HP or HD produce destroyers.
I see the need for an ocean going modern frigate which is smaller than 052D and more expendable, while also retaining the same class of ASW capability and near 052D AAW capability but lesser VLS capacity. 054A is good as an ASW platform, but there is room for improvement. Bigger bow sonar, space for UUVs to complement the TAS and VDS, two helicopters rather than one, more modern and quieter propulsion such as IEPS... combined with demands for newer AAW including active radar homing SAMs, quad packed SAMs, a new radar (whether it be fast rotating APAR or fixed face APAR), using the larger and more volume heavy CCL VLS. Then there's also need for greater crew comfort and room for future upgrades that will necessitate greater room too.
Yes, all this can fit on a 7000+ ton hull like 052D but will likely cost more than a frigate should, while installing all these systems on the same 054A hull is probably impossible or at least will leave little room for future upgrades and crew comfort. So I'm proposing a 5000+ ton hull slightly larger than 054A but still smaller than 052C/D.
Yes but the concern would be is the rate of new ships being commissioned matching the rate of decommissioning? It would seem more like the rate of new exceeds and that means new crews. Not a bad thing but again, those new crews need time to hone their skills. So in my opinion, reducing to a few successful platforms would be a wise move for the immediate future. Let that stabilize and when the next phase kicks in, then you have a much larger experienced crew base to work with. Also, keep in mind, the experienced crews of 051s, 053HXs, 037s are themselves making a huge leap forward in honing their skills with the modern platforms now at their disposal. And crews age and retire too.
Unfortunately, we have no idea what kind of manpower situation the PLAN faces. It goes without saying that they will have to upskill and increase their manpower as well as their retention of manpower, but we obviously have no idea what the specifics are and no idea how rapidly they can expand surface combatant numbers without straining their output of new officers and enlisted personnel.
More importantly the number of crew also has little influence on whether PLAN should build more 054As or a new frigate design to succeed it after the 24 hull run, as new crew would have to be trained for the new ships anyway. If anything, a new frigate design with more modernized automation can reduce crew numbers per ship somewhat to relieve manpower burdens.
