Chinese Frigates

The Frigate is a light surface combat ship with missiles, naval guns, depth charges and anti-submarine torpedoes as the main weapons. Its main task is to provide anti-submarine escort, patrol, guard, reconnaissance and combat missions and provide support landing unmanned carrier aircraft 's take-off and landing. The frigates are small and medium-sized combat ships with anti-ship/air defense missiles, medium and small caliber guns, underwater weapons (torpedoes, mines, deep water bombs, anti-submarine rockets, etc.) as the main weapons . It can perform escorts, anti-submarine, air defense, reconnaissance, security patrols, mine-laying, support landings, and security operations such as the Army's maritime flank. It was once known as a escort or escort destroyer.

In the modern naval formation, the frigate is the surface combat ship that is second only to the destroyer in tonnage and firepower, but because of its smaller tonnage, the self-sustaining power is weaker than the destroyer, and the oceanic combat capability is inferior to the destroyer. Like battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, frigates are also a traditional naval ship. They are the medium-sized surface ships with the largest number, the widest distribution, and the most opportunities for participation in the contemporary world.

The frigate was an ancient ship. As early as the 16th century, a three-armed sailing ship was called a frigate. The initial frigate displacement was 240 to 400 tons. After the first industrial revolution , Western countries have obtained numerous colonies in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. To protect the security of their colonies, Western countries have built a small amount of displacement, suitable for colonial offshore activities. Vigilance, patrols and small and medium-sized ships that protect their own merchant ships are one of the predecessors of the frigates.

In 1904-1905, during the Japanese-Russian War, Japanese ships repeatedly broke into the Russian naval base in Lushunkou. After the Russo-Japanese War, Russia built the world's first modern frigates. The initial frigates had a small displacement (400-600 tons), weak firepower, poor wind and wave resistance, and low speed. They were only suitable for offshore activities. The frigates in this period, although already a naval warship, are more similar to maritime patrol ships.

During the Great War, German submarine ravaged the sea, and the threat to the ships and merchant ships of the Allies was enormous. In order to protect the safety of the sea traffic, the Allies began to build a large number of frigates for anti-submarine and escort. In 1904-1905, during the Japanese-Russian War , Japanese ships repeatedly broke into the Russian naval base in Lushunkou. At that time, the largest frigate had a displacement of 1,000 tons and a speed of 16 knots, with ocean-going capabilities. The frigates of this period basically defined the basic functions of modern frigates.

As the frigate developed, the tonnage became larger and the firepower became stronger, but the mission remained escort and anti-submarine warfare. The frigates in World War II included escort destroyer (the European country called the Frigate FF, the United States called the Destroyer Escort DE), and the other frigate was the sea defence ship used for offshore patrol. The typical escort destroyer has a standard displacement of more than 1,500 tons, and the speed is increased to 18-30 knots.

Since the 1950s, frigates have developed in the direction of large-scale, missile, electronic, and command automation. Modern frigates also carry anti-submarine helicopters. The difference between a modern frigate and a modern destroyer is sometimes not very obvious, but usually the former is inferior to the latter in terms of tonnage, firepower, endurance, and continuous combat capability. Some large frigates developed by some countries even in these respects. Stronger than some destroyers, other countries have begun to slowly phase out frigates and replace them with destroyers, such as Europe, America and Japan.

The modern frigate is already a medium-sized ship capable of maneuvering in the ocean. The standard frigate has a standard displacement of 2,500 to 4,000 tons, a speed of 20 to 35 knots, and a range of 2,000 nautical miles to 10,000 nautical miles. It is mainly equipped with 57mm-127mm guns. Anti-ship/air defense/ anti-submarine missiles, mines, also equipped with various types of radar, sonar and automated command systems, weapon control systems. The power unit is generally powered by a gas turbine or diesel, or a diesel-gas turbine combined power unit.

From the perspective of a big navy, the frigates and destroyers are still essentially different. The most common use of frigates is to escort merchant ships or large warships. The destroyers are the main force of the fleet and generally do not perform such tasks. The main business of the frigate is anti-submarine, and air defense is only its sideline.

The technical level and service time of the Jianghu-class frigates are not worthy of modernization. There are several treatment options. The newer Jianghu-3 type can be sold to third world countries at a low price after necessary transformation. Countries with traditional historical connections such as Cambodia, Myanmar and Bangladesh can obtain priority. Cambodia can serve as a “nail” within ASEAN and can contain Vietnam; Myanmar is China's "southeastern estuary"; Bangladesh had already acquired a defensive ship of the Type II, and it can expand Chinese influence on the Indian Ocean coast. The Jianghu-2, which has a better hull condition, can also be modified and then brought to the sea police department with the ship to improve its law enforcement patrol ability in a short period of time.

The overall level of the Jiangwei-class frigate is acceptable. The Jiangwei-1 was first put into service in 1993. The Jiangwei-2 was first commissioned in 1999. There is still room for improvement in terms of service time and technical level.

The Type 054A is already a historic breakthrough for Chinese frigates, and reached advanced levels in the world, but there was still room for improvement, and the improved version would become 054B. The tonnage of 054B can be increased from 3900 tons to 4500 tons, and the domestic power gas turbine (fuel-fired linkage) is used to improve the automation level of the ship. The crew would remain at 150 people. Improve stealth performance, refering to the stealth design of European frigates, would refine the original hull, and integrate various electronic devices with integrated masts.

For China, even if the aircraft carrier battle group and the amphibious battle group can easily break through the first island chain or even the second island chain, they cannot cover the combat capability in the first island chain. Therefore, the main operational goal of the frigate is to bear the usual The combat and patrol missions within the island chain, and the main fleet in the wartime break through the island chain. Therefore, the frigate does not need more than 5,000 tons of tonnage. In fact, only Europe will be called a frigate of more than 5,000 tons. Japan’s village rain, high wave and South Korean KDX-2 are 5,000-ton destroyers. An ocean-going general-purpose warship capable of constructing a 6,000-ton general-purpose destroyer.