Chinese Navy commissions first Type 054B frigate
The Type 054B frigate Luohe at its commissioning. (Photo: Chinese social media, via X)
The commissioning comes just two years after the modules for the hull were first seen – and the US is watching.
The Chinese Navy (PLAN) has commissioned the first of its planned Type 054B new generation frigates.
The first modules for its hull were seen in Shanghai in December 2022. The hull was launched in August 2023, and it began its sea trials in January 2024.
The first ship, 545, will now be known as Luohe, and is expected to join China’s North Sea Fleet. The second vessel, 555, is expected to patrol with the South Sea Fleet – and to be commissioned in the near future.
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The Type 054B design differs significantly from the Type 054A, with 15 metres of additional length (at a full length of around 150 metres). It is also wider in the beam at 17 metres.
The Type 054B vessels will feature a new 100mm main gun, and a duel-face rotating AESA radar.
Adding to the vessel’s range, it was equipped to accommodate the larger Z-20 helicopter, where the 054A could only hold the lighter Z-9 version.
While the Type 054B will likely replace the Type 054A at some point, that changeover will likely not come for some time, as an advanced 054A variant, the 054AG, is still in active production.
Meanwhile, the US Navy has begun extending the lifespan of its Arleigh Burke destroyers and its Ticonderoga-class guided missile vessels, while its Constellation-class frigate programme stumbled and sought innovative shipbuilding solutions to recover.
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