With the continuous commissioning of the Type 003 aircraft carrier, large multi-purpose amphibious assault ships, and large phased-array destroyers, public attention frequently shifts among these new assets. However, we must not overlook the significant role of the Type 054A frigate in the Navy’s surface fleet, serving as a critical transitional and foundational platform.
The Type 054A frigate, with its moderate displacement of 4,000 tons, integrates air defense, anti-ship, and anti-submarine systems. This displacement ensures robust combat capabilities while maintaining high cost-effectiveness in construction and maintenance. Compared to the earlier Type 051 destroyers, the Type 054A represents a significant upgrade in both tonnage and combat capabilities, enabling blue-water operations. Notably, it is equipped with the Hongqi-16 vertical launch medium-range air defense system and anti-submarine missiles, which were critically needed by the surface fleet. Since its commissioning, the Type 054A has been actively involved in escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and participated in the filming of “Operation Red Sea,” showcasing its close-in weapon system intercepting rockets.
The Type 054 series has reached a fleet size of over 30 ships, with news of an additional 20 orders. With the launch and trial of the Type 054B, why is there a batch increase in the number of Type 054A frigates? This article provides an analysis:
No Pursuit of Excessive Speed
The propulsion system consists of four 16PA6V-280STC diesel engines, each with a maximum output of 6,400 kW, totaling 25,600 kW. This allows the Type 054A frigate, with a full-load displacement of 4,000 tons, to achieve a maximum speed of 27 knots. Increasing the speed to 30 knots would reduce the displacement to 3,000 tons, severely impacting its blue-water operational capabilities and the effectiveness of its air defense and anti-submarine weapons.
Appropriate Stealth Design
The ship features a long superstructure with fore and aft bridge structures, presenting a streamlined and technologically advanced appearance for its time. The hull’s sides are angled outward and then inward, providing some stealth capabilities. Lifeboats are concealed behind collapsible bulwarks. The cross-sectional profile is a deep V-shape, with a wide beam, which increases drag and reduces speed but enhances stability and seaworthiness, improving its blue-water operational capabilities.
Comprehensive Electronic and Weapon Systems
The frigate is equipped with an improved Chinese “Top Plate” 3D long-range search radar, a one-dimensional electronic-scanning radar for azimuth scanning and elevation scanning, with modes for air search, ultra-low-altitude search, and surface search. This radar can provide target indications for the Hongqi-16 air defense missile system, with a transmission power supporting a search range of over 300 km and the ability to track more than 100 targets simultaneously. It also has four illuminator radars that can guide eight Hongqi-16 missiles to intercept four aerial targets simultaneously. Other electronic equipment includes active/passive towed array sonar, and passive/active electronic warfare systems.
The onboard weaponry includes a 76mm naval gun, 730 close-in weapon systems upgraded to the 1130 model, Hongqi-16 surface-to-air missiles, anti-submarine missiles, and anti-submarine torpedoes.
The ship’s combat command system integrates all detection equipment, weapon systems, and aircraft into a unified command and control system, capable of coordinated multidimensional operations. Despite housing these extensive systems, the frigate maintains a spacious layout due to high automation and a small crew, making it well-suited for long-term deployments at sea.
The Type 054A frigate has seen continuous improvements throughout its production. The latest 054A model G has upgraded its four illuminator radars to phased-array radars, extending the air defense missile range from the Hongqi-16C’s 70 km to the Hongqi-16FE’s 160 km, nearing the range of the Haihongqi-9.
The Future of 4,000-Ton Frigates
The rapid expansion of the Chinese Navy also brings new challenges. With three Type 075 ships in service, at least three more under construction, the swift progress of the Type 076, and the Fujian carrier undergoing sea trials, the Navy is expected to field up to ten aircraft-carrying platforms within three years. This creates an urgent need for escort ships, prompting the concurrent re-production of Type 052DL and Type 055 destroyers, initiating a new wave of shipbuilding. The Type 054B frigate is still in the initial production phase, requiring time before mass production, highlighting the importance of continued production and improvement of the Type 054A frigate. With mature production lines, short construction periods, stable performance, and low costs, the Type 054A, despite its lower speed, is sufficient for escorting amphibious task forces and replenishment ships.
In contrast, the U.S. Navy decommissioned over 50 Perry-class frigates, only to realize later that while they retained the elite personnel, the workforce was significantly reduced. These elite personnel now have to perform menial tasks, leading to gradual attrition. As a result, the U.S. is planning to develop 6,000-ton frigates, but they have yet to materialize, and are also relying on unmanned vessel technology to compensate for the lack of ships. However, these measures cannot fundamentally solve the problem. While unmanned vessels have potential, they cannot yet fully replace manned combat ships.
Nevertheless, we must acknowledge the limitations of the Type 054A frigate’s propulsion system. Initially designed with constraints on its powerplant, its displacement was set at 4,000 tons. Despite advances in Chinese propulsion technology allowing for increased tonnage and speed through additional gas turbines or high-power diesel engines, this would undoubtedly increase the cost and complexity of the ships. Therefore, the economically viable and practical 4,000-ton frigate will continue to play a vital role until a suitable propulsion solution is found.
The development of high-stealth frigates also represents a promising direction for large frigates and is worthy of close attention.
