Chinese frigate Weifang (550)

	Weifang underway on 29 March 2016
History
China
Name	Weifang
Namesake	Weifang; (潍坊);
Builder	Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding, Shanghai
Launched	9 July 2012
Commissioned	22 June 2013
Homeport	Lüshunkou
Identification	Pennant number: 550
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Type 054A frigate
Displacement	4,053 tonnes (full)
Length	134.1 m (440 ft)
Beam	16 m (52 ft)
Propulsion	CODAD, 4 × Shaanxi 16 PA6 STC diesels, 5700 kW (7600+ hp @ 1084 rpm) each
Speed	27 knots estimated
Range	8,025 nautical miles (9,235 mi; 14,862 km) estimated
Complement	165
Sensors and ; processing systems	Type 382 Radar; Type 344 Radar (Mineral-ME Band Stand) OTH target acquisition and SSM fire control radar; 4 × Type 345 Radar(MR-90 Front Dome) SAM fire control radars; MR-36A surface search radar, I-band; Type 347G 76 mm gun fire control radar; 2 × Racal RM-1290 navigation radars, I-band; MGK-335 medium frequency active/passive sonar system; H/SJG-206 towed array sonar; ZKJ-4B/6 (developed from Thomson-CSF TAVITAC) combat data system; HN-900 Data link (Chinese equivalent of Link 11A/B, to be upgraded); SNTI-240 SATCOM; AKD5000S Ku band SATCOM;
Electronic warfare ; & decoys	Type 922-1 radar warning receiver; HZ-100 ECM & ELINT system; Kashtan-3 missile jamming system;
Armament	1 × 32-cell VLS; HQ-16 SAM; Yu-8 anti submarine rocket launcher; 2 × 4 C-803 anti-ship / land attack cruise missiles; 1 × PJ26 76 mm dual-purpose gun; 2 × Type 730 7-barrel 30 mm CIWS guns or Type 1130; 2 × 3 324mm Yu-7 ASW torpedo launchers; 2 × 6 Type 87 240 mm anti-submarine rocket launcher (36 rockets carried); 2 × Type 726-4 18-tube decoy rocket launchers;
Aircraft carried	1 Kamov Ka-28 'Helix' or Harbin Z-9C
Aviation facilities	hangar

Weifang (550) is a Type 054A frigate of the People's Liberation Army Navy. She was commissioned on 22 June 2013.

Development and design

The Type 054A carries HQ-16 medium-range air defence missiles and anti-submarine missiles in a vertical launching system (VLS) system. The HQ-16 has a range of up to 50 km, with superior range and engagement angles to the Type 054's HQ-7. The Type 054A's VLS uses a hot launch method; a shared common exhaust system is sited between the two rows of rectangular launching tubes.^[1]

The four AK-630 close-in weapon systems (CIWS) of the Type 054 were replaced with two Type 730 CIWS on the Type 054A. The autonomous Type 730 provides improved reaction time against close-in threats.^[2]

Construction and career

Weifang was launched on 9 July 2012 at the Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding in Shanghai. Commissioned on 22 June 2013.

Gallery

Weifang underway on 2 May 2014.
Weifang underway on 3 May 2014.
Weifang and INS Kora off Visakhapatnam, India in May 2014.
Weifang underway on 19 March 2020.

References

^ 舰载武器SHIPBORNE WEAPONS 2013 AUGUST ISSUE
^ "Chinese Navy". Archived from the original on 7 January 2007. Retrieved 27 March 2009.

[1] 舰载武器SHIPBORNE WEAPONS 2013 AUGUST ISSUE

[2] "Chinese Navy". Archived from the original on 7 January 2007. Retrieved 27 March 2009.

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