Launch of Pakistan Navy’s Fourth Type-054 A/P Guided Missile Frigate Held in China

The launch ceremony of the 4^th Type-054 A/P guided-missile frigate developed for the Pakistan Navy was held last week at the Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard (HZS), Shanghai, China.

According to the official statement by the DGPR Navy, the Type-054 frigate is equipped with modern surface, subsurface, and anti-air weaponry. The Combat Management System (CMS) and sensors of the warship make it one of the most advanced surface platforms in the fleet of the Pakistan Navy.

While addressing the launch event, chief guest Commodore Rashid Mahmood Sheikh termed the ceremony as an important milestone in the defense relationship of Pakistan and China, adding that the induction of four Type 054A frigates marks the beginning of a new chapter of the country’s naval defense.

Commodore Rashid Mahmood lauded the commitment demonstrated by the HZC and support extended by China Shipbuilding Trading Company (CSTC) to ensure timely completion of all four Type-054 A/P frigates despite the Coronavirus pandemic.

It is worth mentioning here that the Pakistan Navy had inked an agreement with CSTC for the purchase of two Type-054 A/P frigates in 2017 initially. A year later, the agreement was extended as Pakistan Navy ordered two more warships.

China has already delivered the three Type-054 A/P frigates to Pakistan Navy. The first frigate was delivered in August 2020, the second in January 2021, and the third in August 2021. All three frigates were launched at the HZS in Shanghai.

About Type-054 A/P Frigates

The Type-054 A/P frigate is an improved and extended version of the Chinese-made Type 054 multi-role frigate which was commissioned in the Chinese Navy in 2007.

It uses the same stealth features as the Type-054 frigate including sloped hull design and radar-absorbent materials but is equipped with modern sensors and weapons.

The Type-054 A/P frigate is a 440 feet long, 52 feet wide naval ship and can accommodate 165 naval personnel. It has a displacement capacity of 3,676,820 kg, a maximum range of 14,862 km, and a top speed of 50 km/h.

The Type-054 A/P is equipped with the following weapon systems:

• 32 vertical launcher systems with the ability to fire the following:
  • HQ-16 medium-range air defense missiles
  • Anti-submarine missiles
• 2 x 4 C-803 anti-ship/land-attack cruise missiles
• 1 x PJ26 76 mm dual-purpose gun
• 2 x Type 730 seven-barrel 30 mm Close-in Weapon Systems (CIWS) guns
• 2 x 3 324mm Yu-7ASW torpedo launchers
• 2 x 6 Type 97 240mm anti-submarine rocket launchers
• 2 x Type 726-4 18-tube decoy rocket launchers

It also comes equipped with a hangar and helideck fitted with a helicopter handling system to support missions for mid-sized helicopters such as Harbin Z-9C or Kamov Ka-28 Helix.