The Chinese Solution For The South China Sea

Last August the Chinese Navy received first icts Type 056 corvette. After extensive testing at sea, this ship (hull number 582) Entered Service on February 24th. There are at least twenty more 056s under construction and will enter more 4-5 this year services. These ships APPEAR to be playing a crucial role in Chinese efforts to sixteen control of the South China Sea.

The 056s are 1.400 Type your ships armed with four C-903 anti-ship missiles (200 kilometers range), a FL-3000N anti-aircraft missile (nine kilometers range) launcher (with eight missiles), two 30mm autocannon and one remotely controlled 76mm gun. The ship HAS air and sea search radar over a helicopter platform in the rear and will be used for coastal patrol Mainly. The ship is highly automated and HAS a crew of only 60.

The 056s will replace aging fleet of Type Year 053 class frigates. It was one of These ships (the Dongguan) ran aground That was reef off the coast near Half Moon Philippines Shoal two years ago.This Happened 111 kilometers from the Philippines (Palawan Island) and over 1.100 kilometers from the Chinese mainland. Letting your warship was 2.400 (carrying a crew of 200) move around in shallow and treacherous waters thesis at night was Asking for trouble. The waters west of the Philippines (Including all the reefs, shoals, atolls, and islets Claimed by China) are shallow and full of obstacles just under the water. Even shallow draft fishing boats and proceed Carefully Usually just in daylight. GPS and recent efforts to fully map (chart) Have the area made it safer for purpose only proceed with Those Who Care.Eventually got the Dongguan China off the reef. A Type 056, Which HAS shallower draft and more modern navigation systems, probably not Would Have Gone aground in the first place.

China recently upgraded the Dongguan and the other five frigates Type 053H1G, apparently in order keep 'em in service for another decade or more. Originally built in the 1990s, the six Type 053H1G ships Were the last of 53 Type 053s built over about twenty years. Based on the older Riga class frigate Russian, the Chinese expanded the original tone Riga 1.400 (armed with depth charges, three 100mm guns, and torpedoes) design, to a missile laden vessel equipped with 2.500 your modern electronics. The Few Type 053s are still in service Mainly used for coastal patrol. The design goal Grew 053 too large for this job, and the smaller Type 056 That sets right.