Sunday, July 27, 2008

China: New Type 054A Frigate Commissioned

China: New Type 054A Frigate Commissioned (NSI News Source Info) July 27 2008: A new Type 054A (NATO reporting name: Jiangkai-II class) missile frigate was commissioned by the PLA Navy South Sea Fleet on 9 July. The frigate, carrying hull number 568, was named Chaohu, after the city in the eastern Anhui Province. The commission ceremony was held at the Zhanjiang Naval Base, attended by the senior officials of the PLA Navy headquarters, the South Sea Fleet, as well as representatives from the Chaohu City council. The Type 054A Jiangjai-II class is the latest surface combatant introduced by the PLA Navy, featuring the a 32-cell vertical launch system (VLS) for the HQ-16 air defence missile, as well as modernised sensors and electronic systems developed from Russian designs. The first hull was launched in late 2006. Chaohu (568), constructed by the Huangpu Shipyard in Guangzhou, is the fourth hull of its class.

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