Wikipedia

Type 054B frigate

The Type 054B (NATO/OSD Jiangkai III)[7] is a class of multirole guided-missile frigate of the People's Republic of China.[8] It is a development of the Type 054A frigate, and is around 15 m (49 ft) longer and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) wider than its predecessor.[3][9][6] Compared to the Type 054A frigate, the extra length allows the Type 054B frigate to install SAM-based CIWS along with the gun-based CIWS, a heavier main gun and carry a heavier helicopter.[3][6] The sensors are also upgraded, including a new radar.[6][3] The Type 054AG frigate, the latest variant of the Type 054A, has some similarities with the Type 054B, including the main gun and helicopter.[3][10]

Luohe (545) in 2026
Class overview
Builders
Operators People's Liberation Army Navy
Preceded byType 054A frigate
Building2[1][2]
Active2
General characteristics
TypeFrigate
DisplacementEstimated 5,500 to 6,000 tons (full)[3]
LengthAround 150 m (490 ft) (estimated)[3]
BeamAround 17 m (56 ft) (estimated)[3]
PropulsionCODAD, 4 × CS16V27 diesels, 29.12 MW (39,050 hp) total, 2 shafts[4]
Speed28 knots[4]
Range5,000 nautical miles (5,800 mi; 9,300 km)[4]
Armament
Aircraft carried1x Harbin Z-20 family helicopter[6]
Aviation facilitiesHangar

History and development

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In the 2010s, Chinese military observers speculated a successor design to Type 054A frigate, designated Type 054B or Type 057. In the early 2020s, more confident intelligence suggested the successor to Type 054A would be the Type 054B. The first two hulls were laid down in 2022 at the Hudong shipyard and the Huangpu shipyard in Shanghai and launched in 2023.[11] The first frigate, Luohe was commissioned on 22 January 2025 at Qingdao.[12][13]

The second ship in its class, Qinzhou, was secretly commissioned, with its existence confirmed on April 12, 2025.[14] Two additional vessels are currently under construction.[1][2]

Design

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The Type 054B is longer and wider than the Type 054A. A dual-face rotating AESA radar is mounted on the top of the forward integrated mast.[3][6][15] The stern has a panel for variable depth sonar and ports for deploying towed sonars and decoys.[6]

Armament includes a 100mm H/PJ-87 main gun, a 32-cell vertical launching system (H/AKJ-16), a Type 1130 11-barrel 30mm close in weapon system, and a HHQ-10 air defense missile launcher.[3][15][16][6]

The helicopter pad is large enough to accommodate the Harbin Z-20.[3][15]

Ships of class

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Pennant number Name Namesake Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status
545[12] 漯河 / Luohe[12] City of Luohe Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard[12] August 26, 2023[9][14] January 22, 2025[12] North Sea Fleet[12] Active
555[17] 钦州 / Qinzhou[17] City of Qinzhou Huangpu Shipyard[12] October 29, 2023[11][14] April 23, 2025[14][18] South Sea Fleet[14][18] Active

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 "China constructs fourth Jiangkai III frigate". Janes. 8 April 2026. Archived from the original on 8 April 2026. Retrieved 8 April 2026.
  2. 1 2 Vavasseur, Xavier (22 January 2026). "Satellite image shows China's third Type 054B under construction". Janes. Retrieved 22 January 2026.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Luck, Alex (22 January 2025). "Chinese Navy Commissions First Type 054B Next Gen Frigate". Naval News. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 "China deploys 5,000-ton torpedo frigate to hunt US nuclear submarines in open seas". Interesting Engineering.
  5. ↑ "China commissions improved frigates and destroyers". Asian Military Review. 26 January 2026. Archived from the original on 25 February 2026. Retrieved 20 March 2026.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 "China's Jiangkai III-Class Frigate Takes the Stage". Proceedings. United States Naval Institute. March 2025. Archived from the original on 20 April 2025. Retrieved 9 April 2026.
  7. ↑ "PLAN 2024 Identification Guide". Office of Naval Intelligence.
  8. ↑ "China reveals enhanced sensors, ASW role for Type 054B frigate". Janes. 6 April 2026. Archived from the original on 6 April 2026. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  9. 1 2 Luck, Alex (29 August 2023). "First New Generation Frigate For Chinese Navy Launched In Shanghai". navalnews.com.
  10. ↑ "Type 054AG: the new ASW frigate of the Chinese Navy". Meta-Defense.fr. 12 January 2026. Retrieved 8 April 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. 1 2 Fanell, James E. (May 2024). "Another Historic Year for the PLA Navy". USNI News.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Rahmat, Ridzwan (23 January 2025). "China commissions first Type 054B frigate". Janes. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  13. ↑ Li Jiayao (ed.). "China's first Type 054B frigate Luohe commissioned". Ministry of National Defense of China. Xinhuanet. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "中国海军第二艘054B型导弹护卫舰 在南中国海实战化训练". Lianhe Zaobao.
  15. 1 2 3 Newdick, Thomas (28 August 2023). "This Is China's New Type 054B Frigate, Could Become Backbone Of Navy". The War Zone.
  16. ↑ 新舰砺刃！054B护卫舰首舰漯河舰最新画面发布！现场火力全开！ [The new ships weapons! Type 054B frigate Luohe conducts live fire exercise!] (Video) (in Chinese). CCTV-7. 17 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2025 – via YouTube.
  17. 1 2 "钦州舰，报到！新一艘054B型护卫舰南海实战化训练". Xinhua. 5 May 2025.
  18. 1 2 "海報藏玄機　054B型導彈艦「一南一北」護航雙航母". HK01.
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