In a previous article, the author talked about the comparison between the Type 054B frigate and the Japanese Upper Class, the American Constellation class. Today, we talk about South Korea's Chungnam-class frigates. It has to be said that the Chungnam-class frigate and the Type 054B frigate are all new-generation frigates launched in 2023, and they are both the main frigates of the host country. So, which of the two types of frigates is more advanced between the Chungnam-class frigates and the Type 054B frigates? Today, we will talk about this issue.
Daegu-class frigate of the South Korean Navy
First, let's talk about South Korea's Chungnam-class frigates. After the seventies and eighties, with the comprehensive development of the Korean economy, South Korea began to pursue a navy fleet that was ocean-going in the world. In terms of frigates, South Korea has successively developed three types of corvettes, including the Donghae-class, the Pohang-class, and the Ulsan-class. Since the beginning of the 21st century, with the further enhancement of the ROK Navy, the ROK has gradually developed three generations of main frigates of the Incheon-class, Daegu-class, and Chungnam-class. Among them, the Chungnam class was developed on the basis of the Daegu class and belongs to the upgraded and improved version of the Daegu class.
The Daegu-class frigates have a full load displacement of more than 3,600 tons, and a total of 8 units were built. The Chungnam-class frigates inherited the contour frame of the Daegu-class, but with a full load displacement of more than 4300 tons. At the same time, radar electronics and systems in all aspects have been fully upgraded. In April 2023, the first ship of the Chungnam-class frigate was launched, and South Korea plans to build a total of six. Well, what about the comprehensive configuration of Chungnam-class frigates?
South Korean Navy Jeongjo Daejo-class destroyer
Note that the Chungnam-class frigates are highly positioned in the South Korean Navy and, to some extent, are almost on par with the general-purpose destroyers of other countries. As a 4,300-ton frigate, the main mast of the Chungnam-class frigate is equipped with four small S-band active phased array radars developed by Hanwha Group. It is claimed that the detection range is more than 250 kilometers, however, it has not been confirmed. After all, the South Korean media have always had an old tradition of exaggerating the performance of weapons and equipment.
The bow of the ship is equipped with an American-made MK-45 127 mm naval gun, which is the habit of South Korean ships, because it needs to take into account the tasks of close bombardment and shore bombardment, so South Korean ships are generally equipped with large-caliber naval guns. On the foredeck, 16 units of the K-VLS vertical launch system are arranged, capable of launching South Korea's domestically produced Haebow anti-aircraft missiles, Red Shark anti-submarine missiles, and Haelong ground-to-ground cruise missiles. Due to the American-made MK41 vertical hair system, it is not compatible with the launch of South Korea's domestic missiles.
Model drawing of South Korea's Chungnam-class frigates
Eventually, South Korea had to develop the K-VLS hair hanging system with the help of the United States on the basis of the American-made MK41 hair hanging system. With a tonnage of only 4,300 tons, only 16 units of vertical hair systems were installed. On the hangar of the Chungnam-class frigates, 1 CIWS-II type 7-barreled 30-mm anti-aircraft gun is arranged, similar to the mainland's Type 730 air defense system. On the sides of the ship, two triple Mk 32 torpedo tubes were deployed.
In the middle of the ship, two groups of quadruple Starfish anti-ship missile launchers with a maximum range of 120 km were arranged. The helicopter hangar and platform at the rear of the ship can carry 1 SH60 series anti-submarine helicopter. Please note that South Korea has a very good external environment and has been able to buy and buy all the time when it comes to arms procurement. For example, in terms of power system, the Chungnam-class frigate uses one British MT30 gas turbine, two German MTU diesel engines, and two Italian Leonardo electric motors, which are diesel-fuel combined drives.
The South Korean Chungnam-class frigate was launched
Next, let's take a look at the Type 054B frigates on the mainland. The mainland and the ROK face each other across the sea, and the mainland's North Sea Fleet will definitely need to pass through the Yellow Sea and other places when it goes eastward. In August and October 2023, the mainland has launched two Type 054B frigates. According to satellite images, at present, the basic framework of the third ship has been closed, and it is expected to be launched in the second half of this year.
According to the calculations of foreign media, the full load displacement of the Type 054B frigate is about 6000 tons. In terms of the design concept and layout framework of the Type 054B frigate, it is very close to the French Aquitaine-class frigate. According to expectations, the lead ship of the Type 054B frigate is expected to be commissioned at the end of 2024 or the first half of 2025. In the positioning of various types of ships of the mainland navy, the Type 054B frigate belongs to the third class of ships, which undertakes the medium-range air defense and anti-submarine tasks of the ship formation.
French Navy Aquitaine-class frigate
The Type 054B frigate is similar in layout to the Type 055 destroyer, with an integrated integrated mast. However, instead of a four-sided phased array radar, a bifacial array S-band large active phased array radar was installed on top, and the mast contained electronic warfare flat panel array antennas and various other equipment. In terms of specific radar size, it obviously exceeds the Herculescent radar equipped with the French Aquitaine-class, and the detection range is farther.
France's Hercules passive phased array radar adopts a single-sided rotation mode, with a maximum speed of 60/min, working in the S-band, with a maximum detection range of more than 250 kilometers in the air and 80 kilometers in the plane, which can simultaneously detect 500 air and surface targets and track 50 of them. You can refer to the constellation Hercules to speculate on the performance of the Type 054B mainmast radar. In the rear mast in the middle of the ship, a Type 368 bifacial array X-band small active phased array radar is also equipped.
PLA Navy Type 054A frigate
To some extent, it is also in dual-band mode. The Type 054B frigate did not use the 76 mm naval gun of the Type 054A frigate, but adopted a new 100 mm naval gun to further improve its fire strike capability. On the foredeck of the ship, a 32-unit vertical launch system is installed, which mainly launches Hongqi-16 anti-aircraft missiles or Yu-8 and Yu-10 rocket-assisted anti-submarine torpedoes. The front of the ship is equipped with a set of 1130 close defense system, which is also the standard configuration of ships of the mainland navy. For this vertical hair system, many netizens are not satisfied.
It was believed that the large vertical hair system on the Type 052D frigate should be used, and there was no need for this. After all, the positioning of the Type 054B frigate is a three-class miscellaneous frigate, and the comprehensive cost of construction needs to be considered. After the appearance of the Hongqi 16FE type, the air defense range was greatly increased. For example, in the demonstration at the Zhuhai Air Show, the maximum range of the Hongqi-16FE anti-aircraft missile reached 160 kilometers, which is already close to the level of the early Hongqi-9 model.
PLA Navy Type 052D destroyer
In the middle of the ship, the author expects to install two 4-mounted YJ-12 series anti-ship missiles. On the left and right sides, 324-mm anti-submarine torpedo tubes were arranged. However, it is obscured by stealthy ships. The hangar and helicopter platform in the tail of the ship are capable of carrying 1 Z-20F anti-submarine helicopter. In addition, 1 set of Hongqi 10 short-range air defense systems was arranged above the hangar. At the moment, there is a great deal of controversy about the power system of the Type 054B frigates.
There are several different speculations such as all-diesel power, diesel-fuel combination, diesel-electric combination, etc., and the author believes that the Type 054B frigate at this stage is not a standard model, but a transitional mode in the early stage. As a frigate that focuses on anti-submarine and takes into account medium-range air defense, it is most likely to use all-electric propulsion. However, at this stage, the continent's all-electric thrust technology is not fully mature. Therefore, the Type 054B frigate at this stage should belong to the early transitional model.
Elite ship formations of the PLA Navy
After the technology is mature in all aspects, there will definitely be models that are gradually improved, such as 052D, 052DL, 052DM and other batches. The author believes that the Type 054B frigates, at least 40 units need to be built, which basically corresponds to the number and size of Type 054A frigates. Note that the figures mentioned by the author include the standard version of Type 054B and various later modifications. The author has always believed that the current version of Type 054B is only a temporary transition, and it will definitely need to be upgraded and further improved in the future.
Type 054B frigate, the first sea trials
In comparison, the Chungnam-class frigate and the Type 054B frigate, the Chungnam-class frigate has four small phased array radars and a relatively advanced power system. In other aspects, it was basically completely crushed. After all, there is a significant tonnage gap between the 4000-ton class and the 6000-ton frigate. With a large tonnage, it is natural to be able to equip more equipment and equipment.
Model drawing of the Type 054B frigate
In the case of the Chungnam-class vertically launched Haigong anti-aircraft missile, the maximum range is only about 20 kilometers. Of course, between the Chungnam class and the Type 054B, in terms of tasks, there is a big difference. In the future layout of the South Korean Navy, the status of Chungnam-class frigates is even similar to the mainland's Type 052D destroyers and Japan's Akiwol-class or Asahi-class destroyers.
Front view of the Type 054B frigate
There are many more stories about the development and construction of the PLA naval forces, and the author will talk to you slowly in future articles.