Probably they found from PLA Navy service that the ship performs nicely and gives no problems to users. Also IMHO with 17 ships already in service with no major issues so far is a good sign from a ship designed only from 2008 and built at a rate of a month per ship. Many ship classes need lengthy trial time to iron out all the kinks in a new systems.

Probably the most successful thing about the Type 056 is because it's a basic system with conservative features; no ridiculous new tech or designs fads that make a ship spend 6-7 years in trials just to be integrated with the system and at the end of the day the, ship becomes 2-3 times more costly and somewhat outdated from its original function (see the US navy LCS project fiasco as an example).

If reports are true, I believe the PLA Navy wants to make wholesale changes to their brown water navy by 2020 and try to make the Type 056 as the main ship type for the fleet. This makes sense both operationally and logistically (many ships comprising of a single class of ships with similar spare parts & servicing routine makes the PLA Navy requisition staff breathe easier ). The older ships can be either kept as training/reserve ships, passed down to the Coast Guard, sold off cheap or even be given away for free to smaller navies to increase China's soft power image.

Also note that the current batch of top-class PLA Navy ships (Type 022 FAC, Type 056 Corvette, Type 054 Frigate, Type 052 Destroyer and Type 071 LPD) are only in service for less than 10 years. That gives a relative technological edge and long service time ahead of them.

This post has been edited by MilitaryMadness: Oct 2 2014, 03:16 PM

actually 056 in Chinese serve as “打杂”general/blue worker in PLAN（same people said）use mainly in patrol, anti-pirate, Anti-Smuggling (low level job). outside people will only see there new destroyer and Frigate will change brown water by 2020, specially people waiting, type 055 12K tons destroyer and 5K tons type 057 Frigate will start construction next year. 054A will stop after max 24 unit (now 20 unit already constructed）.

This post has been edited by waja2000: Oct 2 2014, 03:22 PM

but does new mean advance? could be building obsolete design?

I think the correct military parlance is that the Type 056 does the 'grunt' work of the PLA Navy.

Unglamorous but essential, the kind of job appropriate for a basic ship with conservative features. Its cheap cost and modularity also possibly can make it a long-serving workhorse of the navy. If the modular concept goes smoothly, the PLA Navy can streamline itself by ordering multiple variants (ASW, AAW, AshW & command) of a Type 056 class to suit its various needs in the foreseeable future rather than designing a new ship every time a requirement pops up, with all the possible problem that may entail. If production of the Type 056 of all variants reaches 100 ships, it probably won't surprise me.

Also I heard plans for a Type 054B variant that uses an Electric propulsion engine?

I think it's all relative. I mean these modern PLA ships still can't possibly compete with US Navy right now (can anyone, actually?), but the numbers & technological gap will be closer with time (won't close completely though,but close enough if current trends continue). But in terms of numbers and tech, probably current PLA Navy is already one step behind Japanese, Taiwan and South Korean navies and already threatening to overtake them, whether the US likes it or not.

Besides, I think the age where the PLA depends more on numbers than technology is already behind us. Now it has technology AND numbers.

one step behind Japanese, Taiwan and South Korean? i doubt but definitely behind US atm..

News said 056 only add asw role, 056 2D radar not that capable for AAW job, but AAW is type 054A/052C/D job, and AshW will be type new type 055 job bcos this new destroyer will add Land attack cruise missile DH-10 (1500km range).
actually type 057 frigate is other name for Type 054B..... not sure what name will be use, yes, alot news saying new ship will use Electric propulsion engine。

This post has been edited by waja2000: Oct 2 2014, 04:42 PM

To be fair, they are future plans and the ASW is the only one introduced at this time but they are there because the 'plug & play' modular capability is already there. Also I already said that some systems can be improved at the expense of other systems. For example to fit ASW version, they have to remove Anti-ship missile & its system and replace it with ASROC launcher & its system. So you probably can get an idea on how the modular system works: you gain some, you lose some. For Anti-Air version they probably will remove some surface radar/scanning systems to concentrate on installing anti-air equipment like better air search/tracking radar & extra SAM launchers.

As a source I'll quote wiki,so YMMV but as I originally came across the details about the Type 056's capability in a forum & I can't find it, I can't post it here.



This post has been edited by MilitaryMadness: Oct 2 2014, 05:04 PM

For PLAN navy, AAW/AShW hard to see in 056, 056 Asw version is use conventional torpedo launcher. so 056 still have ASM missile. is hardly PLAN accept to remove ASM and install VLS launch just for ASROC, than loss ASM capable.
offcouse technically no issue, can list all the role，
and export version no issue, select role base on customer want ....

This post has been edited by waja2000: Oct 2 2014, 05:34 PM

I'm just stating facts, but of course you are entitled to your opinion.

technically no issue, just can do algeria way, ship build by china, but system mix china and thales system so data-link/communication easy with Meko200 which also bought by algeria navy.
but people may have issue they have anti-chinese mind set too... also some people question china weopon tech, some people support US/euro weapon, main importance is some company maybe blame gov bcos not get contract (means not support local company), unless tot to local made
of other country may think malaysia pro to china, so avoided sell high-tech weapon to as, they just worry become other pakistan.

This post has been edited by waja2000: Oct 2 2014, 09:22 PM

TLDM 'Plan Z' still wet dream..

I personally see no problems with the Type 056s having specialized roles. Especially when considering the large numbers of the corvettes planned by the PLA Navy.

A naval squadron consisting of 3-4 basic type 056 with a command and a specialized Type 056 (either Anti-Ship, Anti-Surface or ASW version depending on the type threat expected during the operation) can be, in my opinion a very credible offense/defense group. Instead of a gathering of ships of different types, there's a lot of advantages of fielding different versions of the same ship class.

A basic Type 056, for its small size, is already a quite well-rounded ship in terms of weaponry that cover anti-surface, anti-submarine and anti-air scenarios. The addition of a type 056 command ship to command & coordinate the squadron and a specialized ship to boost the squadron's firepower can greatly increase the capabilities of that squadron.

When I did my research on the type 056, I noticed two distinct types of people commenting on the Type 056.

On the US STRONK! side, most criticized that the type 056 as an cheap, out-of-date, technologically inferior ship that would be sunk long before it even detected the presence of a US warship.

On the other side, more moderate commenters has stated that while the Type 056 is, in fact, a basic, cheap and technologically inferior ship in regards with US ships, it's exactly what is needed in a littoral combat role with its more 'grunt' type of work. As they say "you don't need a Ferrari to plow a rice field".

corvette more in 'grunt' type role
056 about 1400 tons
Meko 80/90 1400~1600 tons
DCNS Gowind 1000, 1500 tons
Damen sigma 1800 tons version
Singapore Fearless-75 multirole combat 1200 tons

price usually china cheaper 20~40%
capability depend on price.

for me best is DCNS Gowind 1000, but price is most expensive. usd 250 million without weapon

This post has been edited by waja2000: Oct 2 2014, 10:27 PM

Probably a lot of corvettes have the capabilities & size of the Type 056 but the price is firmly in China's favor. In most forums commenters agree that a basic Type 056 would probably only cost about $70-90 million USD per ship.

Any gomen purchase or project more than 50mil will have to have a value committe set up on how to increase its values. Some increase the value by reducing cost while others increae value by addition investment requirements

Go look for value engineering. Something most engineers will learn and understand

99% our kasturis lost ....

056
1. 056 is stealth design
2. 056 have FL-3000 defense missile which can counter ASM missile attack
3. 056 have better Anti-ship missile with range 150km
4. 056 have 76mm navy gun

Kasturi
1. no stealth design
2. no anti-missile defense system （only decoy）
3. short range Anti-ship missile
4. only 57mm gun

This post has been edited by waja2000: Oct 3 2014, 12:18 AM

3 week more Zhuhai airshow will start, a lot new china weapon will be display, so excited to wait.... too bad not able go to zhuhai to see the airshow, maybe target 2016.

Our Lekiu-class frigates also not guaranteed can decently fight (on paper, Type 056 still have superior weapons, even as corvettes). Also considering we only have 2 in the whole RMN fleet and PLA navy probably have already deployed 10+ Type 056 ships in South China Sea right about now, chances are decidedly not so in our favor.

P.S.: Probably if they use the whole fleet of Type 056 only, PLA Navy can already overwhelm entire SEA nations' navy.