WORLDS'S FIRST Anti-Ship Rocket Launcher - Chinese WS-64 Successful Test

Burma (Myanmar) collects Two Jianghu II class boat

In addition to the pending transfer of two Jianghus to the Bangladeshi navy, the China navy is also selling two of its "younger" Jianghu FFG to the Burma navy.   Since FFG 554 "Anshan" and FFG557 "Jishou" were build in 1986 and 1988, there should be a few years of service life left in them. 

Now both navies are Jianghu equipped, it will be interesting to see if they ever face each other in battle.

FFG 554 "Anshan"

FFG 554 "Anshan" & FFG557 "Jishou" 

Burma, Bangladesh in Warship Standoff

By LAWI WENG Monday, October 12, 2009

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=16979

Burmese and Bangladeshi warships faced off across the Bay of Bengal on Monday as both nations built up naval and military forces along the border, according to a report in the Dhaka-based The Daily Star on Monday.

Quoting sources within the Bangladeshi armed forces, The Daily Star reported that Burma had on Sunday brought in heavy tanks, artillery guns, 12 warships and a frigate “as part of its preparation for a large-scale conflict with Bangladesh.”

The Bangladeshi daily said that according to a Bangladeshi naval official, Dhaka had reinforced its maritime border “in a bid to repulse a Myanmarese incursion by preparing 30 warships in Chittagong and Khulna.”

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni reportedly rejected reports about the heavy military build-up on the border at a press conference on Sunday, saying it is a routine movement of security personnel.

However, the Bangladeshi daily cited several sources within the country’s defense services who suggested the Burmese regime was provoking a conflict.

The Irrawaddy was unable to independently confirm the reports with the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday.

Meanwhile, news of the standoff has to date gone unreported in Burma’s state-run press.

Tensions between Burma and Bangladesh mounted last week after Burmese armed forces began erecting barbed wire fencing along its Bangladeshi border.

According to The Daily Star, the Burmese government had deployed nine light infantry battalions to the border region. However, Khaing Mrat Kyaw, an editor at the Dhaka-based Narinjara news agency, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that only five battalions had been moved into position by Oct 7.

Bangladesh and Burma share a 320-kilometer border, partly demarcated by the Naf River, a regular route for smuggling and illegal crossings.

Tin Soe, an editor for the Kaladan Press Network, based in Bangladesh, said that a border-based military officer told Bangladeshi journalists in Dhaka on Sunday: “We will solve this conflict through diplomatic channels. If we can’t solve it, we have to go to war, because we don’t want to lose an inch of land.”

Tin Soe said that the people living near the border are worried about the potential conflict because they fear the Burmese junta’s troops will bury a lot of landmines along the border.

Most of the Burma navy are mounted with C-801/2 SSM,  I am sure the existing C-201 SSM will be removed in due course.

PLAN Type 054A Jiang-Kai

 by Chris King

I used the DML/Dragon USS Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate hull as the basis for this model. The hull was extensively modified to create the proper shape, with various parts coming from my spares box. 

Aft-deck of frigate Yi Yang (548). In this image, US Navy sailors are boarding to meet prior to conducting a bilateral counter-piracy exercise. Visible on the flight deck is a Harbin Z-9 helicopter

 The Type 054A (NATO codename: Jiangkai-II Class) is the new-generation multirole missile frigate developed from the Type 054 (Jiangkai Class), incorporated with improved weapon systems and sensors. The frigate is being built by the Shanghai-based Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard and Guangzhou-based Huangpu Shipyard, both part of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). 

13th Escort Taskforce of the Chinese Navy arrived in Valletta, Malta type054a frigate missile piracy

 So far a total of four hulls have been commissioned: Xuzhou (530), Zhoushan (529), Huangshan (570), and Chaohu (568). The first and third hull were built by the Huangpu Shipyard, and the second and fourth by the Hudong-zhonghua Shipyard. The fifth and sixth hulls were identified in the two shipyards in late 2008. 

 

PLAN-Jiangkai

The Type 054A was designed primarily for air defence role, featuring a medium-range air defence missile system with a 32-cell vertical launch system (VLS) on the bow deck. The frigate is also capable of anti-surface strike with its YJ-83 anti-ship missiles.

The frigate Zhou Shan (529) Moored on the Huangpu River in Shanghai

 Like the Type 054, the Type 054A incorporates a number of stealthy features in its hull design, including the sloped side to minimise radar cross section and the reduced profiles of external features. The helicopter deck at the stern has a single landing spot for a medium size helicopter, such as the Russian Kamov Ka-28 Helix, or the indigenous Harbin Z-9C. The deck is fitted with the helicopter handling system. The vessel has a full displacement of 4,500 tonnes. 

Missiles

 

The primary surface strike weapon system is the YJ-83 sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missile. Two quadruple launchers are installed at the mid-ship position. The missile uses active radar-homing to deliver a 165kg warhead to a range in excess of 180km. 

 

C-802-Cruise-Missile-Zhenguan-Studio-1S

The principal air defence weapon system is a 32-cell VLS developed by Luoyang Electro-Optics Technology Development Centre (EOTDC). The exact model of the air defence missile is unknown, but some reports have suggested that it may be the 38km-range Russian 9M317 (NATO codename: SA-N-12) Shtil semi-active radar-homing medium-range SAM, or its Chinese copy reportedly designated HongQi-16 (HQ-16). 

Unconfirmed reports suggested that the VLS could also launch an anti-submarine missile designated Yu-8. The missile carries an acoustic-homing torpedo, possibly developed from the Yu-7 (Mk-46 copy). 

Guns

 

A single-barrel 76mm gun (possibly Russian AK-176 copy) is installed on the bow deck, in front of the VLS. 

The frigate is equipped with two Chinese indigenous Type 730 seven-barrel 30mm CIWS to provide short-range air defence. The Type 730 CIWS has a maximum rate of fire of 4,600~5,800 rounds/min and a maximum range of 3,000m. The gun is controlled by the Chinese-made TR47C fire-control radar and an electro-optic director, both mounted on the roof of the gun turret. 

There are two Type 87 six-tube anti-submarine rocket launchers installed on the bow deck, with 36 rockets (240mm calibre, 34kg warhead). The maximum range is 1,200m. 

Sensors

 

The sensors of the Type 054A Jiangkai-II class are mainly Russian designs, produced either by licensed co-production or reverse-engineering of the systems obtained along with the Project 956 Sovremenny class missile destroyers. 

The air search radar is a Fregat-MAE-5 (NATO reporting name: Top Plate) 3D air search radar mounted at the top of the front mast, offering two channels in E-band. The radar can track up to 40 targets simultaneously, and has a maximum range of 120km to aircraft and 50km to sea-skimming missile. 

Four MR90 (NATO reporting name: Front Dome) F-band radars (two on top of the bridge, two on the roof of the helicopter hanger) provide guidance for the air defence missiles. Originally designed to provide fire-control for the 9M317/SA-N-7 Shtil SAM, each radar can provide two channels to guide two missiles simultaneously. 

A large round radome installed on top of the bridge houses the Mineral-ME (NATO reporting name: Band Stand) radar that provides anti-ship missile control and over-the-horizon radar acquisition and target designation of surface ships. 

The ship has three indigenous Type 347G I-band radars, two of which are integrated with the Type 730 CIWS to provide fire-control and a standalone radar is installed on top of the bridge behind the large round radome provides fire-control for the 76mm main gun. There is also a large round radome mounted at the top of the rear mast, possibly housing a MR36 (Type 346?) surface search radar. 

Countermeasures

 

The ship is equipped with two 18-tube multiple rocket launchers at the mid-ship position. They are thought to be used to launch decoys/chaffs. The round radome installed on top of the helicopter hanger and few smaller round radomes are believed to house electronic warfare antennas. 

Propulsion

 

The propulsion is a combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) arrangement. The system is based on four SEMT Pielstick (now MAN Diesel SA) 16 PA6V-280 STC diesel engines.

Pakistan is planning to acquire six AIP conventional submarines

Pakistan is planning of buying six more submarines with options for joint development of future submarines with China. The reason for that is, because Pakistan is seeking for ways to strengthen its under-sea warfare capabilities.  

For now it is unknown what the class of the submarines is, but according to anonymous information Islamabad required an advanced under-sea vessel with air independent propulsion (AIP) system. This system will give the submarine the capability of staying submerged for longer and operating noiselessly.

The Co-development will not only include projecting and manufacturing, but also training of Pakistani personnel, upgrades of Pakistan Navy’s shipyard and other things. At the moment Pakistan is finalizing a deal of inducting 36 J-10 fighter aircraft from China in a deal which has an estimated worth of over USD 1.4 billion. Islamabad and Beijing are also collaborating to build an advanced fighter — JF-17 or ‘Thunder’.

Recent Chinese exports in helicopter and ships

In my review of 2012, I mentioned recent Chinese exports as one of the overlooked areas in recent Chinese news. More than anything, China has been having a lot of success exporting smaller ships and helicopters. I have captured a series of photos from various Chinese shipyards this year for export orders. They do not include all of the ships that they've launched or handed over this year, but we will go through that in the second part.

First, we have the missile boat that was built for the Pakistani Navy. One was built in Tianjin shipyard as shown below and the other was built in Pakistan.

Next, we currently have a littoral patrol craft built for Bangladesh Navy. Two Such LPCs are built for BN and they were launched about a month apart from the WuChang shipyard.

Most recently, we have seen Patrol Boat for Malta. They have received quit a lot of order for patrol boats and FACs from African countries in the recent years.

And this is a patrol ship that WuChang shipyard built for Namibia. This has already finished sea trials and been delivered already.

Next, we have 3 ships that were part of PLAN that is undergoing work to be transferred to Myanmar Navy. They are 2 Jianghu class frigates (554 & 557) and Type 037 class ship 772. I believe 771 is also getting transferred to PLAN. At this point, it's most likely that these ships are transferred rather than sold, but still good to have Myanmar Navy using Chinese equipments that will rely on Chinese supplies/part for weapon system.

Other than these ships, I have also recorded these additional exports of helicopters and naval ships from the past year or so.

• Late 2011, 4 patrol boats (FACs) for Ghana
• Late 2011, 6 H425 for Bolivia
• Jan 2012, 12 AC-312 (Z-9) for Cambodia
• March 2012, 2 (535, 536) retrofitted Jianghu for Bangladesh
• March 2012, Z-11 production in Argentina
• April 2012, 2 OPVs for Nigeria
• May 2012, 3 F-22A for Algeria
• Nov 2012, 4 more F-22Ps for Pakistan
• Nov 2012, Z-9 for Zambia

So There have been quite a few success stories. This is something that I will follow up and update on next year. Chinese shipyards are doing really well in this low end naval/security ship market. Chinese helicopter companies are also doing a good job of selling Z-9s and Z-11s to third world countries. I think they are probably taking market share away from Russians and some Europeans. This is a trend that I expect to continue in the coming years.

China Constructing More Than Twenty Type 056 Frigates

Looks like they are mainly for South China Sea operations, due to their light displacement.

Last August the Chinese Navy received its first Type 056 corvette. After extensive testing at sea, this ship (hull number 582) entered service on February 24th. There are at least twenty more 056s under construction and 4-5 more will enter service this year. These ships appear to be playing a crucial role in Chinese efforts to seize control of the South China Sea.

The Type 056s are 1,400 ton ships armed with four C-903 anti-ship missiles (200 kilometers range), a FL-3000N anti-aircraft missile (nine kilometers range) launcher (with eight missiles), two 30mm remotely controlled autocannon and one 76mm gun. The ship has air and sea search radars plus a helicopter platform in the rear and will be used mainly for coastal patrol. The ship is highly automated and has a crew of only 60.

The 056s will replace an aging fleet of Type 053 class frigates. It was one of these ships (the Dongguan) that ran aground on a reef off the Philippines coast near Half Moon Shoal two years ago. This happened 111 kilometers from the Philippines (Palawan Island) and over 1,100 kilometers from the Chinese mainland. Letting a 2,400 ton warship (carrying a crew of 200) move around in these shallow and treacherous waters at night was asking for trouble. The waters west of the Philippines (including all the reefs, shoals, atolls, and islets claimed by China) are shallow and full of obstacles just under the water. Even shallow draft fishing boats proceed carefully and usually just in daylight. GPS and recent efforts to fully map (chart) the area have made it safer but only for those who proceed with care. China eventually got the Dongguan off the reef. A Type 056, which has a shallower draft and more modern navigation systems, would probably not have gone aground in the first place.

China recently upgraded the Dongguan and the other five Type 053H1G frigates, apparently in order keep them in service for another decade or more. Originally built in the 1990s, the six Type 053H1G ships were the last of 53 Type 053s built over about twenty years. Based on the older Russian Riga class frigate, the Chinese expanded the original 1,400 ton Riga (armed with depth charges, three 100mm guns, and torpedoes) design, to a missile laden 2,500 ton vessel equipped with modern electronics. The few Type 053s still in service are mainly used for coastal patrol. But the 053 design grew too large for this job, and the smaller Type 056 sets that right. 

"Joint Sea-2013" drill participated by Chinese and Russian warships concludes