Type 053H3 Jiangwei-II Class
The Type 053H3 (NATO code name: Jiangwei-II class) is the multirole missile frigate introduced in the 1990s as a follow-on to the Type 053H2G (Jiangwei class). The Type 053H3 was based on the hull design of the Type 053H2G, but fitted with improved weapon systems and sensors. Despite being known as a 'multirole' frigate, the Type 053 is only capable of coastal patrol role, with limited air defense and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
Program
Construction of the first-of-class of the Type 053H3 began at the Shanghai-based Hudong Shipyard in 1998, and the production was later expanded to the Guangzhou-based Huangpu Shipyard. A total of 10 hulls (521--524, 527, 528, 564--567) were built for the PLA Navy between 1998 and 2005, with the last three hulls (567, 527, and 528) in slightly different weapon and radar configuration.
Design
Air Defense
The primary air defense weapon is the
HHQ-7 (Crotale copy) short-range SAM system, with an 8-cell launcher located on the bow deck behind the main gun and ahead of the bridge. Directed by the H / LJP-345 (Castor CTM copy) fire-control system, the missile is designed to engage aircraft in all-weather, day / night conditions at a maximum range of 8--12 km with line-of-sight guidance. . The missile also has limited capability to intercept sea-skimming anti-ship missiles at a range of 4--6 km.
There are also four
Type 76A dual-37mm anti-aircraft artillery guns, capable of firing 1.42 kg shells at a rate of 180 rounds per minute to a range of 8.5 km against airborne targets. The AAA guns are directed by an H / LJP-341 fire-control radar.
Anti-Surface
The Type 053H3 is armed with eight
YJ-83 subsonic sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), with two quadruple launchers installed at the mid-ship position. The missile uses active radar-homing to deliver a 165 kg warhead to a range in excess of 180 km.
An
H / PJ-33B (Type 79B) dual-barrel 100mm / 56-caliber gun with an angular-lined turret for reduced radar cross section (RCS) is installed on the bow deck, in front of the SAM launcher. The gun is capable of firing 15 kg shells at a rate of 18 rounds per minute to a range of 22 km.
Anti-Submarine Warfare
2x 6-cell
Type 87 240 mm anti-submarine rocket launcher, firing the Type 81G rocket-propelled depth charge with a 34 kg warhead to a range of 1,200 m, with 36 rounds.
2x depth charge racks and launcher.
Sensors
Air / surface search is provided by an
H / LJQ-360 radar mounted on top of the main mask. The radar operates in the E / F-band, with a maximum range of 150 km to aircraft and 50 km to sea-skimming missile.
A
Type 517H-1 ('Knife Rest') radar working in the A-band on the aft deck provides long-range air surveillance and early warning.
The
H / LJP-345 system consisting of a J-band radar and an electro-optical director (EOD) provides target direction for the HHQ-7 SAM.
A
Type 343GA installed on top of bridge operating in the X- and Ku-band provides fire-control for the dual-100 mm main gun and YJ-83 anti-ship missiles. On later hulls this was replaced by an
H / LJP-344A operating in the I / J-band.
An
H / LJP-341 ('Rice Lamp') installed on top of the helicopter hangar operating in the I-band provides fire-control for the Type 76A AAA guns.
The frigate has a
JM-83H electro-optical director (EOD) consisting of laser rangefinder, TV tracker, and infrared / thermal imaging, in case of electronic jamming of the gun radar.
For navigation, the frigate has two
RM-1290 (Racal Decca 1290) navigation radars located on the foremast yardarms.
The frigate is equipped with an
SJD-7 hull-mounted medium-frequency sonar for active / passive search and attack.
Electronic Countermeasures
The Type 053H3 frigate's electronic warfare suite include the RWD-8 ('Jug Pair') intercept, Type 981-3 jammer, SR-210 radar warning receiver, TM-053 laser warning receiver, HZ-100 electronic intelligence (ELINT) system, Type 651A IFF, two H / RJZ-946 (PJ-46) 15-barrels 122 mm chaff / decoy launchers, and two 26-barreled chaff launchers.
Command & Control
The Type 053H3 frigate is fitted with an indigenous
ZJK-3C combat data system developed from the French TAVITAC. The system is based on the 10Mbps common bus architecture, and is capable of supporting operations such as air defense, anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare, navigation, and communications.
Aviation
The frigate has a helicopter hangar and deck at the stern capable of operating a medium-sized helicopter, such as the Eurocopter AS 365 Panther or its Chinese copy Harbin Z-9C. The flight deck is fitted with the helicopter handling system.
Propulsion
The frigate is powered by a combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) arrangement, with two 18E390VA diesels rated at 14,000 hp (17.6 kW) and two MTU diesels rated at 8,840 hp (6.5 MW). Two shafts drive controllable pitch propellers. The propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 26 ~ 27 knots and, at an economical speed of 15 knots, the range is 5,000 nautical miles.
