China has
been successful in exporting its 2,500 ton Type 53 frigates over the last two
decades and now is finding many foreign customers for its replacement, the
4,000 ton Type 54A. This is a 134.2 meter (440 foot) long ship with a top speed
of 49 kilometers an hour and a range of 14,400 kilometers. The crew of 165
operates a 76mm cannon, two 30mm multi-barrel anti-missile autocannon, eight
C-803 anti-ship missiles, six anti-submarine torpedoes, 12 240mm anti-submarine
rockets, 72 tubes carrying decoy rockets, 32 VLS cells containing anti-aircraft
or anti-submarine missiles, and a helicopter. The radars, sonar, and
electronics are all Chinese made. Sixteen Type 54s have been built and at least
three more are being built. Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Algeria,
and Thailand
are all interested.
China
developed several new designs to replace the 40 year old Type 53, but the most
successful has been the Type 54, which first appeared in 2005. This ship is
based on Western, not Russian, designs. The first two built were less capable
than the later Type 54A model. After the second Type 54 appeared in 2006, the
weapons and electronics of the design were greatly upgraded and became the Type
54A.
Despite the demand for the Western style Type 54A, there are still many
foreign customers who prefer the smaller, Russian style, Type 53. This includes
Chinese users. China
recently completed upgrades on the last six Type 053 frigates built, apparently
in order keep them in service for another decade or more. Originally built in
the 1990s, the six Type 053H1G ships were the last of the 53 built over about
twenty years. Based on the older Russian Riga class frigate, the Chinese
expanded the original 1,400 ton Riga
design (armed with depth charges, three 100mm guns, and torpedoes) to a missile
laden 2,500 ton vessel equipped with modern electronics.
The latest version of the 053, called the F-22, is still built but only for
export. The primary customer is Pakistan.
The remaining Chinese Type 53s are mainly used for coastal patrol. They are
103.2 meters (320 feet) long and have a top speed of 46 kilometers an hour.
These 2,400 ton ships can operate on internal fuel and supplies for 15 days at
a time. The ships are armed with eight C-803 anti-ship missiles, two automatic
100mm guns, and four 37mm anti-aircraft guns. There are also regular and rocket
launched depth charges.
Pakistan has
received three F-22P frigates from China
and is built another in Pakistan.
The Pakistanis were very pleased with their inexpensive Chinese warships and
ordered four more, to be built in Pakistan.
The F-22P is an improved version of the Chinese Jiangwei II (053H3). Pakistan
already had four of these, as the F-22.
The 123 meter (406 foot) long F-22P displaces 2,500 tons and carries an eight
cell short range (8.6 kilometers) FM-90N surface-to-air missile system. There
are two four cell anti-ship missile systems (180 kilometers range C-802s), two
three cell launchers for rocket launched ET-52C anti-submarine torpedoes, and
two six cell RDC-32 anti-submarine rocket launchers. There is also a 76.2mm
gun, two 30mm anti-missiles auto-cannon, and a helicopter. Each ship has a crew
of 202 and a top speed of 52 kilometers an hour. The F-22Ps are inexpensive,
costing about $200 million each. The new American LCS weighs about the same but
has only half as many sailors in the crew, a lot more automation, and costs
over $600 million.
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