[Military & Weapons Section] Author: Tianlang
On the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People's Navy, a set of propaganda posters released by the South Sea Fleet caught people's attention — a photo of a warship displaying full flag and with crew members standing on deck appeared in the picture. The ship in the image is the second Type 054B guided-missile frigate, Qinzhou (hull number 555). Those familiar with naval traditions know that the "Qinzhou" displaying full flag and having crew members stand on deck is exactly the "standard action" for a warship to officially join the active service. Unlike the first ship, Luohe, which made a high-profile debut, the second ship announced its commissioning in a low-key manner, demonstrating the pragmatic attitude of the Chinese Navy in the introduction of new equipment.
▲Officially released poster
The Qinzhou, hull number 555, was built by Huangpu Shipyard in Guangzhou and currently belongs to the Southern Theater Navy. Unlike the first ship deployed in the Northern Theater, this new sharp warship’s southern deployment signifies that the Chinese Navy is steadily advancing the practical application and regional deployment of the Type 054B, with its tactical missions fully integrated into the long-range anti-submarine, area air defense, and maritime patrol systems of the aircraft carrier task force in the South China Sea direction.
Why is the Type 054B considered a comprehensive upgrade over the Type 054A? Primarily in four aspects. First, there is a revolution in the platform foundation. The Type 054B is about 150 meters long and 18 meters wide, with a full load displacement reaching 6,000 tons, representing a significant improvement over the 4,000-ton platform of the Type 054A. The increase in tonnage not only brings stronger endurance and self-sufficiency but also provides better living conditions for the crew, and more importantly, leaves ample space for future upgrades of various systems.
The second core change is the comprehensive enhancement of stealth capabilities. The Type 054B adopts an extremely simple "cutwater" hull design, with all exposed structures and radar reflective surfaces minimized. From the anchor winch at the bow to the radar mast on the bridge, everything has been integrated into a unified closed design. The large angular structure on the side of the hull extends from the bow to the helicopter deck at the stern, making it the most radical and cleanest stealth design among China's surface warships. Even in terms of appearance cleanliness, the Type 054B surpasses the current Type 055 destroyer, becoming a representative work of China's version of the "stealth frigate."
▲Training photos of the lead ship, Luohe
The third is the upgrade of the combat system. The main gun has reactivated the 100mm caliber naval gun, paired with new fire control and guidance systems, enhancing both sea strike and land suppression capabilities while also providing stronger aerial interception depth. The secondary gun system references the configuration of the Type 052D and Type 055 destroyers, deploying the domestically produced Type 1130 CIWS and Hongqi-10 short-range air defense missile system to form an inner and outer double-layer protective network. The key air defense missile system has been fully upgraded to the new "Haihongqi-16," possessing medium-to-long-range area air defense capabilities, addressing the shortcoming of insufficient area air defense capability in the Type 054A.
The last is the leap in electronic systems. The Type 054B is the first domestically-produced frigate to be equipped with dual-panel rotating S-band active phased array radar, completely discarding the 382-type mechanical radar used in the Type 054A. Its information processing capability and target locking response speed have significantly improved, even allowing simultaneous guidance of multiple air defense missiles to intercept multiple targets. Additionally, a fast-response X-band phased array radar is installed for close-range target processing, achieving 360-degree panoramic situational awareness. In overall combat informationization capability, the Type 054B's level has greatly approached that of the Type 055 destroyer, truly becoming a versatile medium-sized combat platform.
▲Simple mast of the lead ship, Luohe
The reason the Type 054B could complete trials and official commissioning in less than two years after launching also reflects the efficient maturity of China's shipbuilding industry and system integration capabilities. By comparison, the U.S. Navy's next-generation "Constellation"-class frigate has already exceeded five years since signing the contract to begin construction, yet progress remains stagnant. American media even criticized that the first ship of the "Constellation" class has only completed 10%, leaving one to marvel at the vast gap between the U.S. and Chinese naval construction systems. While Americans are constantly adjusting designs and attempting to "get it right from the start," the result is soaring budgets and slow progress. Conversely, China's approach of taking small steps quickly and rapidly iterating with "two experimental versions" seems far more pragmatic and efficient.
The positioning of the Type 054B is very clear; it is not intended to create a "miniature 055" or to repeat the old path of "small ships with heavy firepower." Instead, within the framework of building an ocean-going aircraft carrier task force, it serves as a critical "jack-of-all-trades": capable of providing medium-range air defense and anti-submarine firepower, and excelling in tasks such as maritime replenishment, defending against fast boat harassment, and maritime search and rescue operations. Especially the enhancement of anti-submarine warfare capabilities is a key strengthening direction for China's aircraft carrier task forces. The tonnage and avionics limitations of the Type 054A restrict support for the Zhi-20 anti-submarine helicopter, whereas the Type 054B provides sufficient flight decks and maintenance spaces for this future "mainstay fleet hunter."
▲American media complaining that the first ship of the "Constellation" class has only completed 10%
In the future, whether the Type 054B will be mass-produced depends on the practical performance and system reliability of the first two ships. Based on the information currently disclosed, this new generation of frigate has already demonstrated comprehensive combat capabilities, becoming another key pillar in the People's Navy's expansion of power projection capabilities to the open seas. Even if it does not build as many as over 30 ships like the Type 054A, the Type 054B may become the backbone platform of the future multi-functional frigate system, working in coordination with heavier firepower Type 055 and Type 052D series destroyers to construct a modern blue-water fleet covering area air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and sea surface suppression tasks.
From the timeline perspective, the Chinese Navy may plan to replace early Type 054A and some Type 051 missile destroyers through the combination of "Type 052DL + Type 054B" within the next 3-5 years, gradually transitioning from a near-sea defensive fleet to a global projection navy. The commissioning of the Qinzhou is just a quiet yet determined step in this profound transformation.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7492663305379611190/
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