China Begins to Assemble Massive Next-Gen Warship for Pacific Defense

[beijingwalker]

China Begins to Assemble Massive Next-Gen Warship for Pacific Defense​

October. 7 2023
China’s new 054B class frigate.They expect to assemble and deploy it rapidly
China’s ambitions for Indo-Pacific dominance

The maritime competition between China and the United States has recently intensified beyond the South China Sea to the Indian Pacific region. China appears to have concluded that the United States became a global hegemon based on a large-scale navy centered on numerous aircraft carrier fleets. As a result, China is focusing on developing new weapons and updating existing models to modernize its maritime power.

Recently, a Twitter user revealed that China is assembling its latest frigate in a dry dock, indicating that this maritime competition is likely to intensify further. Today, let’s take a closer look at this new 054B class frigate, its deployment timeline, and its impact on the Indo-Pacific region.

Frigate under assembly / Photo source = Twitter ‘Tom Shugary’© Provided by Gangnamtimes

054B class next-generation frigate / Photo source = ‘Naval News’© Provided by Gangnamtimes

Frigate under assembly in Guangzhou​

Larger than previous frigates​

They are building a new warship at the Huangpu Port near Guangzhou, an area where China primarily manufactures ships for export. This area is where China primarily manufactures ships for export. Due to the experience gained from constructing the 054A class frigate, experts speculate that the production of the new warship will be faster and more efficient.

This new model is 18m larger than the previous 054B class frigate, with a hull size of 147m. Considering the displacement, experts estimate it to be approximately 6,000 tons. Experts predict that this warship will have a displacement of 6,500t, which is significantly larger than the maximum displacement of 4,000t of China’s existing frigates.

China demonstrates rapid shipbuilding speed

Expect to be deployed within a year​

Considering China’s remarkably fast shipbuilding speed, we do not expect the assembly process for this ship to take long. Currently, they are building ten of these warships in the Hudong area, but we do not yet know the kind of radar, missile, or system installed on these ships.

Considering China’s rapid speed, it is estimated that the currently assembled ship will be launched within about a year, and the rest of the warships are also expected to be built at a fast pace. Given the various maritime conflicts that China is currently facing, there seems to be no reason to hesitate in launching the new frigate.

Intensifying South China Sea maritime confrontation​

China’s ambition to dominate maritime power​

In particular, China is focusing on the conflict with the United States centered around Taiwan in the South China Sea. Here, and further in the Indian Pacific region, China is making large-scale improvements to various forces, including fighters and missiles, to counter the US’s aircraft carrier fleet and missile power. This is part of the Belt and Road project, through which China aims to secure its strong influence across the Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Africa, and establish a strong hegemony in Asia. The military tension surrounding these regions, instigated by China, is expected to continue.

MSN