Chinese frigate Xianning (500) explained

Xianning (500) is a Type 054A frigate of the People's Liberation Army Navy. She was commissioned on 28 August 2018.

Development and design

See main article: Type 054A frigate. 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

Xianning was launched on 22 September 2017 at the Huangpu Shipyard in Shanghai. Commissioned on 28 August 2018.^[3]

Notes and References

1. 舰载武器SHIPBORNE WEAPONS 2013 AUGUST ISSUE
2. Web site: Chinese Navy. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070107054058/http://mil.jschina.com.cn/huitong/Jiangkai_Jiangwei.htm. 7 January 2007. 2009-03-27. dmy-all.
3. Web site: 2019-09-10. 中国海军"咸宁舰"昨正式入列 -咸宁日报. 2021-05-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20190910025138/http://szb.xnnews.com.cn/xnrb/html/2018-08/29/content_298504.htm. 2019-09-10.