Chinese shipyard launches first Type 054 A/P frigate for Pakistan Navy.

The Pakistan Navy said Sunday that Chinese state-owned Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard in Shanghai held the launching ceremony for the Type-054A/P frigate, with top officials from the service in attendance.
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Type-054 frigate built for Pakistan Navy is seen at Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard, Shanghai, China. (Picture source: Pakistan Navy)

For the record, in 2018, the Pakistani Defense Ministry signed with the Chinese foreign trade association China Shipbuilding Trading Company Ltd. a contract for the construction of two more frigates of the Chinese project 054A for the Pakistani fleet. The cost of the contract was not disclosed. Thus, in total, the Pakistani Navy has ordered four frigates of the 054A project to date, which should be commissioned by the end of 2021.

About the Type 054A is a multi-role frigate:

The Type 054A is a multi-role frigate and is recognized as the backbone of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) fleet of surface combatants with 30 vessels in commission. They have a length of 134 meters, a beam of 16 meters for a displacement of 4,000 tons. They have a crew complement of 165 sailors.

The Type 054A is armed with HQ-16 medium-range surface-air missiles fired from 32-cell Vertical Launch System (VLS) developed by Luoyang Electro-Optics Technology Development Centre (EOTDC). The HQ-16 missile can engage aerial targets from all angles up to a range of 50km. The VLS is also expected to launch an anti-submarine missile.

The primary Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) system of the Type 054A is the YJ-83 (C-803) sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missile. The missile is launched by two quadruple launchers mounted at the mid-ship position. The YJ-83 missile can carry a 165kg conventional warhead to an operational range of 250km.

Once constructed, these ships will be the most technologically advanced platforms of Pakistan Navy which will strengthen its capability to meet future challenges and maintain peace, stability & power equilibrium in the Indian Ocean Region.