According to information published by Baijiahao on November 4, 2023, the second Type 045B frigate was recently launched at the Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard.
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Chinese Type 054B frigate. (Picture source: Weibo)
It is widely anticipated that the Type 054B will emerge as the future backbone of the Chinese Navy's aircraft carrier strike group, primarily in anti-submarine warfare roles.
Her stealth capabilities have been enhanced through design improvements, and she features a new dual-face rotating active phased array radar system, offering a considerable edge over the Type 382 radar installed on the Type 054A.
The Type 054B is equipped with an upgraded arsenal, including a 24-cell launcher for HQ-10 short-range surface-to-air missiles and coordination with the Type 1130 Close-in Weapon System. This integration vastly improves the ship's air defense and anti-ship combat capabilities, capturing any targets that elude the mid-range HQ-16 air defense missile system.
The new frigate is armed with two quadruple launchers for the YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles, replacing the older YJ-83 missiles on the Type 054A. Despite the upgrade to a new 100mm single-barrel naval gun, there is an ongoing need to improve its rate of fire to extend the attack range and explosive power against both sea and land targets.
The increased dimensions of the Type 054B frigate enable the accommodation of heavier anti-submarine warfare helicopters, thereby augmenting its aviation anti-submarine capabilities.
With a significantly larger size compared to the Type 054A, the new frigate's full-load displacement reaches 6,000 tons. The inclusion of new air defense missile launchers, enhanced anti-ship missiles, and larger-caliber naval guns endows the Type 054B with a more robust integrated combat capability for future surface warfare.
As the Chinese PLA Navy progresses towards a blue-water force with aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships at the core of its fleet operations, the demand for advanced frigates like the Type 054B has escalated. This type of frigate is seen as an essential element within naval task forces, destined to work in concert with other ships to form a important maritime combat group.
The Type 054B has seen upgrades to its informational systems, allowing for faster and more accurate information gathering and dissemination, which is vital for the efficiency of naval operations.
