"Military and Wu Sub-plane" author: Hai Dongqing
The Algerian Navy has been a hot topic in recent days, and there have been rumors that Algeria will buy 6 Type 052D destroyers from China, and it just so happens that the lead frigate purchased by Algeria from China is about to arrive at this time (many people still think that the 052D result is a 056 enlarged version).
▲ Among many large Arab oil players, Algeria's road to military expansion is almost the most low-key.
It is precisely by taking this opportunity that we can take a look at the naval strength of Algeria, a major North African oil player, and then analyze whether Algeria will buy more Chinese-made warships.
The main force of the Algerian Navy currently consists of 5 frigates, 2 German-made MEKO 200AN and 3 Chinese-made C28A, which present a combination of high and low. The MEKO 200AN frigate was ordered by Algeria in 2012 from the German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems Group, which should be heard of, and the Krupp was the German artillery king Krupp Company, which merged with the Thyssen Group in 1999 to form the current ThyssenKrupp Group, which became a large industrial group spanning military and civilian industries.
▲Algerian MEKO200AN frigate.
The MEKO series frigate is also a family of foreign trade frigates specially launched by Germany, including a variety of sub-models, which is the world's earliest frigate to integrate the modular concept into the design and construction of warships, and is equipped by many countries including Germany itself. The two ships ordered by Algeria are MEKO 200AN, and the lead ship is called the Deterrent class, so let's call it the Deterrent class.
The deterrent class has a full load displacement of about 3700 tons, using the same diesel-fired combined and twin propellers plus waterjet propulsion system of the South African version of MEKO200, one LM2500 gas turbine drives a waterjet thruster, two auxiliary diesel engines drive two propellers, and the speed of only using propellers at low speed can reach 18 knots, and the combination of waterjet and propeller can reach 32 knots when sailing at high speed.
The Deterrent class is equipped with a Swedish Saab Group's maritime giraffe AMB phased array radar, operating in the C-band, with a maximum detection range of 180km, and can track more than 100 targets at the same time, which is also used by the Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States.
▲ South Africa's own MEKO200 frigate also uses the National Spear air defense missile vertical firing system.
The supporting air defense system is relatively rare, it is a 32-unit South African Daniel company's national spear air defense missile vertical launch system, the early model has a range of 12km, and the improved version has a range of 20km, it is not clear whether Algeria is equipped with an improved type. The reason why Algeria chose the rare South African vertical hair and anti-aircraft missile may be because the European Silva vertical hair system is too expensive, the American MK41 is not sold (Algeria's weapons are mainly Russian), and the Chinese and Russian vertical hair is not compatible with German frigates, then the only choice left is Israel's Barak system and South Africa's national spear system, considering that Algeria is an Arab country, then which one to choose is obvious.
The anti-ship weapon is a four-seat RBS-15 MK3 anti-ship missile launcher of the Swedish Saab Group, with a total missile weight of more than 800kg, a warhead of 250kg, and a maximum range of 200km, which is not only more powerful than Exocet and C802A (both have warheads of 165kg), but also has the ability to strike land.
In addition to this is an Otto Melera 127mm naval gun that can fire volcano-guided projectiles with a range of 75km, as well as two 30mm cannons, two MU90 light torpedo launchers and a hangar that can accommodate a Super Bobcat helicopter.
▲ The shock class is equipped with 16 anti-ship missiles, which shows that Algeria attaches great importance to its anti-ship capabilities.
In terms of performance, many technologies of the deterrent class are very advanced, and the weapons and equipment are more inclined to anti-ship and land strikes, while the air defense is relatively weak and does not have regional air defense capabilities.
The C28A is the ultimate magic modification launched by China on the basis of the 053H3 frigate (NATO code name Jiangwei 2), the full load displacement has been increased to 3,000 tons, still using full diesel power, a top speed of 30 knots, and the weapon configuration is also 053H3 upgraded, a 76mm naval gun, an eight-mounted FM-90N air defense missile launcher (foreign trade version of Haihongqi 7, range 12km), two quadruple C802A anti-ship missile launchers (range 180km), Two Type 730B close-in guns (a low-end version of the 730 close-in gun, castrated with an independent fire control system, from one set of fire control per gun to two guns sharing one set of fire control), two 324mm torpedo tubes and a hangar that could accommodate a Bobcat helicopter.
However, it is interesting that it is not clear whether Algeria can trust the Chinese radar or China does not have a corresponding product at that time, the C28A frigate uses the SMART-S MK2 phased array radar of the Dutch Thales Group, which works in the S-band, with a maximum detection distance of 250km, and can track more than 100 targets at the same time.
▲ C28A frigates ordered by Algeria.
Perhaps the C28A left a fairly good impression on the Algerian Navy, making Algeria impressed by Chinese manufacturing, and in 2020, Algeria ordered 6 F15A corvettes from China, which is actually about equal to the 056 enlarged version, but the radar finally switched to the Chinese SR2410C phased array radar, which is not inferior to SMART-S. At present, the lead ship of the F15A has been completed and is on its way home.
In addition to frigates, the Algerian Navy also has a big guy, that is, the amphibious assault ship ordered from Italy, the Carat Beni Abbas, with a full load displacement of 9,000 tons, is Italy's foreign trade version developed on the basis of its own San Giorgio-class amphibious assault ships, although the displacement of less than 10,000 tons makes it the world's smallest amphibious assault ship, but it is still a small overlord level in North Africa, and is currently the flagship of the Algerian Navy.
The underwater power of the Algerian Navy is 6 Russian Kilo-class conventional submarines, which is not much to say, China has also purchased 12 Kilo-class, everyone should be very familiar with this type of submarine.
▲An amphibious assault ship of the Algerian Navy.
In addition, Algeria has also built a domestic large missile boat Rice Barbir with the help of China, which is said to have actually displacement of 600 tons, equipped with a 76mm naval gun, two twin C802A missile launchers and a 730B close-in gun.
The comprehensive strength of the Algerian Navy can be said to be a regional hegemon in North Africa, and it is also a local snake in the entire Mediterranean, but we can see that the Algerian Navy still has shortcomings in regional air defense and needs to be made up. On the other hand, the Algerian Navy has a good relationship with China, not only ordering 9 frigates, but also building its own large missile boats with the help of Chinese technology.
▲ 054A is a low-end product after all, Algeria may not look at it, or it may be waiting for 054B.
With the tension in the world, especially the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Algeria, which has always contradicted Morocco, has also begun a large-scale expansion plan, with a military budget of $9.1 billion in 2021 and 22 billion in 2023, of which the expansion of the navy is imperative, so will Algeria purchase 054A improvements to make up for the shortcomings of regional air defense? Personal opinion is very likely, although the rumors of Algeria buying 052D can basically be identified as false at a glance, but 054A can also be expected.