Arsalan
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Type 022 (NATO codename: Houbei class) FAC
The Type 022 (NATO codename: Houbei class) is the new-generation catamaran (twin-gull) missile fast attack craft (FAC) built for the PLA Navy. The first-of-class (hull number 2209) was launched in April 2004 at the Qiuxin Shipyard based in Shanghai. Six contractors are now involved in the construction of the Type 022, with about 40 hulls delivered by the end of 2007. More hulls are expected in the next few years. The vessel replaces the ageing Type 021 (Huangfeng class) that were commissioned between the late 1960s and early 1980s.
Design
The Type 022 features a wave-piercing catamaran hull design known as Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH). Traditional catamaran hull design provides a large and broad decks, but it has a poor stability in high seas at high speeds. The modified wave-piercing catamaran, with its hull volume in the sea’s surface minimised, becomes very stable even on choppy seas. The bulk of the displacement necessary to keep the ship afloat is located beneath the waves, where it is less affected by wave action, as wave excitation drops exponentially with depth.
The main disadvantages to the SWATH hull form are that they are expensive than conventional catamaran or mono-hulled ships, requiring a complex control system. The PRC reportedly obtained the SWATH catamaran design from AMD Marine Consulting, a very successful catamaran designer based in Australia. The company has a joint venture company called Sea Bus International based in China, specialising in designing civilian catamarans such as passenger ferries. The SWATH design was allegedly used by Chinese shipbuilding contractors to develop the Type 022 missile FAC.
The Type 022 missile FAC is the world’s first combat catamaran. Although a number of logistic and combat support vessels in the catamaran form were tested in the past, no catamaran has ever been built for direct combat role in the modern naval history. Coincidently, the U.S. Navy is also testing a high-speed, wave-piercing catamaran known as FSF1 ‘Sea Fighter’ for the littoral warfare role.
The Type 022 is 40m in length, 12m in beam, and 1.5m in draught. The vessel has a full displacement of 220 tonnes. The propulsion includes two diesels rated at 6,865hp and two water jets, giving a maximum speed of 36 knots. The vessel is operated by 12~14 crew.
The design of the Type 022 has been directed to minimise the radar cross-section signature. The hull of the vessel is sloped and the windows all have jagged edges in order to limit the radar reflectivity. The hull carries camouflage paint schemes, which differs slightly according to the areas in which the vessels are deployed. Vessels deployed in northern regions carry a black-grey-blue-white four-colour camouflage, while those in southern region have a much brighter camouflage with mostly white-grey-blue.
Weapon Systems
The vessel is equipped with eight YJ-83 anti-ship missiles housed in two large missile launch complexes at the stern. On the front deck locates a Russian AK-630 30mm close-in weapon system (CIWS) for short-range air defence. There are also two 4-cell tube launchers on the bow deck, possibly for launching decoys/chaffs.
The craft has a single large mask on which a number of unidentified sensors are mounted. A datalink antenna is located between the two missile launch complexes for receiving target information from sea- or air-based sensors, enabling the 'over-the-horizon' strike against surface targets.
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