Ma'anshan class frigate
Encyclopedia
The Type 054 (NATO Codename Jiangkai I) frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
is a Chinese
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
multi-role warship that entered service with the People's Liberation Army Navy
People's Liberation Army Navy
The People's Liberation Army Navy is the naval branch of the People's Liberation Army , the military of the People's Republic of China. Until the early 1990s, the navy performed a subordinate role to the PLA Land Forces. Since then, it has undergone rapid modernisation...
in the mid-2000s. They superseded the Type 053H3 frigates. Two ships, 525 Ma'anshan, and 526 Wenzhou, were completed before production switched to the improved Type 054A frigate
Type 054A frigate
The Type 054A frigate is a Chinese multi-role warship that entered service with the People's Liberation Army Navy in 2007...
.
Design
The Type 054 has a stealthy hull design with sloped surfaces, radar absorbent materials, and a reduced superstructure clutter.The main anti-ship armament were YJ-83 sea-skimming anti-ship
Anti-ship missile
Anti-ship missiles are guided missiles that are designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming type, many use a combination of inertial guidance and radar homing...
cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
s in two four-cell launchers. It retained the HQ-7
HQ-7
The HongQi 7 or HQ-7 is a short-range air defense missile. The missile is deployed on both ships and land-based vehicles. China revealed the export version, FM-80, in the 1989 Dubai Aerospace Show...
SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
, an improved version of the French Crotale, from the preceding Type 053H3; the HQ-7 had a ready-to-fire 8-cell launcher, with 16 stored in the automatic reloader. Short range defence was improved with four AK-630
AK-630
The AK-630 is a Soviet fully automatic naval close-in weapon system based on a six-barreled 30 mm Gatling gun. It is mounted in an enclosed automatic turret and directed by radar and television detection and tracking. The system's primary purpose is defense against anti-ship missiles and other...
CIWS turrets. A 100 mm main gun, also based on a French design
French 100 mm naval gun
Modern French 100 mm naval guns are multipurpose artillery pieces , capable of a high rate of fire. Most modern French warships are equipped with one of its versions.-History:...
, was mounted.
Both ships were powered by four CODAD Type 16 PA6 STC marine diesel engines designed by SEMT Pielstick
SEMT Pielstick
SEMT Pielstick is a French diesel engine manufacturer based in Villepinte, France and owned by MAN Diesel, a subsidiary of MAN AGSEMT Pielstick was formed in 1988 when the business was acquired from GEC Alsthom by MAN and MTU, originally as a 50/50 partnership...
, each generating 6,330 hp. Licenses for the engines were sold to China in April 2002, where they were built by the Shaanxi Diesel Engine Factory
Shaanxi Diesel Engine Factory
The Shaanxi Diesel Engine Factory of Shaanxi, China is a major producer of diesel-powered electrical generators and high-speed prime movers for large-scale marine applications and is one of China's key state enterprises for the production of such engines.It is a subsidiary of China Shipbuilding...
. Other reports claimed each ship was powered by two (or four) Type 16 PA STC and two MTU 20V 956TB92 diesels.
Comparison with La Fayette
The Type 054 resembled the French La Fayette-class frigatesLa Fayette class frigate
The La Fayette class units are light multi-mission frigates built by DCN and operated by French Marine Nationale...
in shape and displacement. In addition, the Chinese used French, or French-derived, electronics and weapons. The French exported these systems to China in the 1980s, and later granted production licences. These systems were similar to those used on the La Fayettes in the 1980s.
The succeeding Type 054A frigate
Type 054A frigate
The Type 054A frigate is a Chinese multi-role warship that entered service with the People's Liberation Army Navy in 2007...
s incorporated a larger proportion of more-advanced indigenous systems.
History
Ma'anshan and Wenzhou deployed from ZhoushanZhoushan
Zhoushan or Zhoushan Archipelago New Area; formerly transliterated as Chusan, is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Zhejiang province of Eastern China. The only prefecture-level city of the People's Republic of China consisting solely of islands, it lies across the mouth of the Hangzhou Bay,...
on 21 February 2011 to undertake an anti-piracy patrol
Piracy in Somalia
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War in the early 21st century...
off Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
. They were the eighth such Chinese patrol and designated Task Force 526. Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Han Xiaohu commanded the flotilla from Wenzhou. En route the flotilla made a stop at Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, before setting sail again on 13 March 2011. The ships were joined by replenishment ship 886 Qiandaohu, which was already deployed with the preceding flotilla.
Ships
525 Ma'anshan was laid down at ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
-based Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in 2002. It was launched in September 2003 and entered service with the East Sea Fleet
East Sea Fleet
The East Sea Fleet was the first naval force formed by the People's Republic of China, on 23 April 1949, and was initially based at Shanghai. It has since been assigned to be part of the People's Liberation Army Navy and its headquarters have been moved to Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, but the fleet...
in February 2005. Its first captain was Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
Wang Xianzhong (王獻忠).
526 Wenzhou was built at the Huangpu Shipyard in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
. It was launched in November 2003 and entered service with the East Sea Fleet
East Sea Fleet
The East Sea Fleet was the first naval force formed by the People's Republic of China, on 23 April 1949, and was initially based at Shanghai. It has since been assigned to be part of the People's Liberation Army Navy and its headquarters have been moved to Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, but the fleet...
in September 2006.