Another Type 054B is sliding toward launch at Huangpu, as is
tradition the Chinese internet, they immediately broke into debate over
hull numbering. It’s part of the PLA‑watching sport at this point.
Some
insist this is Huangpu’s 5th hull, others swear it’s the 6th. The
confusion is predictable: Huangpu and Hudong‑Zhonghua are building 054Bs
in parallel, and the “5th hull” many people reference is actually the
one taking shape in Shanghai. Tomato, tomahto, the numbering “debate” is
mostly noise.
The signal is the production tempo. The PLAN
already has two 054Bs commissioned, and rumors point to eight more in
the second batch. That puts the class on track for roughly ten ships in
service within a few years, keeping up the下饺子 pace.
But the real
headline isn’t whether this hull is #5 or #6. It’s the early zoomed‑in
photos suggesting that the second‑batch 054Bs may be moving from 32 vertical launching system (VLS) cells
into 48 of the Type54B class. If confirmed, that’s a meaningful jump in
flexibility and firepower and arguably the bigger story than the hull
count.
Happy Monday for all of your VLS counters out there.
36 to 48 vertical launching system (VLS) cells. 32 on the first two
Now, look at the 2nd batch of Type54B below
A new Type 054B frigate is now taking shape at Guangzhou’s Huangpu Shipyard.
Some of you will remember the classic era of China‑Navy watching when
dedicated enthusiasts would literally camp outside the big shipyards in
Dalian, Shanghai, Wuhan, and Guangzhou. Back then, blurry fence‑line
photos were prized intel, and some of them ended up on this blog.
As
Chinese milblogs and satellite imagery became more accessible, the
community gradually shifted from on‑the‑ground snapshots to analyzing
high‑resolution overhead imagery instead.
Still, it’s always
refreshing to see a genuine shipyard photo surface again. There’s
something about that old‑school, boots‑on‑the‑ground perspective that
satellite pictures just can’t replace.
Third Type054B FFG spotted
After the first two Type 054B frigates entered PLAN service in early 2025, many wondered whether production would continue at the same pace. That concern now seems misplaced: a third Type 054B has been spotted under construction at the Pudong Changxingdao shipyard in Shanghai, a clear sign that the class remains firmly in the pipeline as a core “blue‑water” general‑purpose combatant moving forward.
Looking back at the broader Type 054 program, the pattern is familiar. China typically builds an initial pair of ships, conducts a period of intensive evaluation and refinement, and only then moves into full‑rate production for a larger batch. The emerging trajectory of the Type 054B appears to be following that same proven approach.
PLAN commissions first Type054B frigate
PLA Navy commissions first Type 054B frigate
By Global Times Published: Jan 22, 2025 10:12 AM
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202501/1327355.shtml
The
Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s first Type 054B frigate,
the Luohe, is commissioned on Wednesday, given the hull number 545, the
Xinhua News Agency reported.
With the hull number 545 and a
displacement of about 5,000 tons, the Luohe is a new generation of
frigate independently developed and built by China. It has made
breakthroughs in vessel stealth technology, combat command systems, and
firepower integrated control, among other aspects, significantly
enhancing its performance.
The ship possesses strong
comprehensive combat capabilities and diversified military mission
capabilities, which are of great significance for improving the overall
combat effectiveness of naval warship formations. It is an important
piece of equipment for the transformation and development of the Chinese
navy, according to Xinhua.
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