Type 053 frigate

Family of Chinese frigates

The Type 053 is a family of Chinese frigates that served with the People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force, and a small number of foreign navies. Nomenclature for Chinese warships was temporarily changed during the Cultural Revolution, and some subclasses gained different NATO reporting names.

The naming of the Type 053/Type 6601/Type 065 frigates reflected contemporary Chinese political turmoil. The PLAN originally named major surface combatants after geographical areas in China, but this practice was abolished during the Cultural Revolution. During that period, most of the third batch of Type 065s were either not named or had their names stripped; ships were referred to only by their hull numbers. The naming of ships resumed in the latter half of the 1980s. However, by that time the Type 065s were nearing retirement, and the traditional geographic names were given to newer ships. For example, Jinan was allocated to a Type 051 destroyer. When the older Type 053/Type 6601/Type 065 were renamed, none received the same one they had held before.

In the 1950s, the Soviets provided China with four kits for Riga class frigates and four completed Gnevny class destroyers. These entered PLAN service as the Type 01 Chengdu class and the Type 07 Anshan class, respectively. The Riga kits were assembled by the Huangpu Shipyard in Guangzhou, and the Hudong Shipyard in Shanghai, from 1955 to 1958. These ships formed the PLAN's backbone in the 1950s and 1960s. Following the Sino Soviet split and the withdrawal of Soviet aid, the Wuhan based No. 701 Institute began reverse engineering the Type 01 in 1962. The result was the Type 065. It was based on the Riga class hull, with the flush deck replaced by a long forecastle. This modification was needed to accommodate a large medium speed diesel powerplant; the civilian diesel was a substitute for the Riga class' compact high pressure steam turbine powerplant that the Chinese were unable to replicate. The first Type 065, Haikou (529), was laid down at Huangpu in August 1964 and commissioned by August 1966.

From 1965 to 1967, the No. 701 Institute designed the Type 053K (Kong for air defence), an air defence variant of the Type 065. This met a PLAN requirement for air defence ships to accompany the surface warfare Type 051 destroyers. The Type 053K was originally intended to have three screws powered by a combined gas turbine and diesel engine, with a speed of 38 knots. However, technical constraints forced the Chinese to settle for a diesel engine, powering two screws for a maximum speed of 30 knots. The Type 053Ks were armed with HQ 61 surface to air missiles, launched from two twin armed launchers; these did not enter service until the mid 1980s. The 100 mm. gun armament was also delayed. This class received NATO reporting name as Jiangdong class. Only two Type 053Ks were completed, possibly due to unsatisfactory performance and the long development time for their intended armament. Yingtan (531) was laid down in 1970 and commissioned in 1977, and followed by Zhongdong (532). Both ships were withdrawn from service in 1992, with one scrapped in 1994 and the other preserved as a museum ship.

The PLAN retired many older frigates in the 1970s, and the No. 701 Institute developed the Type 053H (Hai for anti ship) as a replacement. The initial design was armed with four SY 1 anti ship missiles in two twin missile box launchers, two single 100 mm. guns, six twin 37mm guns, depth charges and short range ASW rockets. The Type 053H received the NATO codename Jianghu I. The first was constructed by the Hudong Shipyard and entered service in the mid 1970s. At least a dozen were built and entered service with the PLAN East Sea Fleet. The Type 053H was improved in four successive subclasses, receiving NATO codenames Jianghu II through Jianghu V. The Type 053Hs were succeeded by the PLAN's first multirole frigates, the Type 053H2G and Type 053H3 frigates.

The Type 053H2, NATO codename Jianghu III, is an improved version of Type 053H1 frigates. Hudong Shipyard built seven hulls for the People's Liberation Army Navy (three ships) and Royal Thai Navy (four ships) between 1985 and 1992. In 2013,two of PLAN Type 053H2 frigates were transferred to Bangladesh Navy. Basically, Type 053H2 is an anti surface warfare (ASuW) frigate for the littoral environment featuring a sophisticated combat management system and enhanced electronic warfare and countermeasures capabilities.

The Chinese sold the Type 053H, and derivatives to foreign navies. One refurbished Type 053H1 and two Type 053H2 was sold to the Bangladesh Navy, with two refurbished Type 053Hs going to the Egyptian Navy. Sonars for these ships are Echo Type 5, a development of EH 5 sonar used on Jianghu III's, adopting LSIC technology. PLAN also added Type 343 fire control radar for gun. They mounted Silkworm anti ship missiles. The Royal Thai Navy received four new Type 053HTs (based on the then latest Type 053H2) in the early 1990s. Each cost ฿2 billion. Two were modified with rear helicopter decks. The sonar on these ships is SJD 5A, a further development of Echo Type 5 sonars on the same class of ships sold to Egyptian and Bangladesh navies, with VLSIC replacing LSIC. By the mid 1990s, the Thai Navy again ordered two enlarged Type 053 hulls as the F25T Naresuan class frigates. The general designer of F25T frigate is Mr. Zhu Yingfu (朱英富). The F25Ts were fitted with Western engines and armament, and their construction was supervised by technical advisers from the German ship building industry. Sonars on these F25Ts are SO 7H, which is the Chinese version of French DUBA25.

In 2007, the Type 053H frigates "509" and "510" were transferred to the China Coast Guard and refitted as Ocean Patrol Vehicles "1002" and "1003". The superstructure was heavily modified. Armament was reduced to a small cannon forward and heavy machine guns; some of freed space was used to stow small patrol boats and add crew quarters.

One used Type 053H1 frigate was sold to the Bangladesh Navy as BNS Osman in 1989. She was the first guided missile frigate to enter in service with the Bangladesh Navy. In 2013, two Type 053H2 frigates were transferred to Bangladesh Navy as BNS Abu Bakr and BNS Ali Haider respectively.

In 2012, two Type 053H1 frigates, Anshun (FFG 554) and Jishou (FFG 557) were transferred to Myanmar Navy as UMS Mahar Bandoola (F 21) and UMS Mahar Thiha Thura (F 23) respectively.

Number Pennant Number Name Namesake Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status 1 531 鹰潭 / Yingtan City of Yingtan Hudong October 1971 March 1975 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned in July 1994. Preserved as a museum ship. 2 532 中东 / Zhongdong City of Zhongdong Qiuxin May 1975 July 1977 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned in June 1986. Scrapped.

Number Pennant Number Name Namesake Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status 1 516 九江 / Jiujiang City of Jiujiang Hudong 28 June 1975 31 December 1975 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned on June 12, 2018. Ex Changsha, renamed on August 1, 1981. Converted into fire support ship with MRL's in 2002. 2 515 厦门 / Xiamen City of Xiamen Hudong 27 October 1975 31 December 1975 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned in August 2013. Preserved as a museum ship. 3 517 南平 / Nanping City of Nanping Hudong 16 April 1976 31 October 1977 East Sea Fleet Active. Transferred to Chinese Naval Academy as training ship in 2012. 4 511 南通 / Nantong City of Nantong Hudong 9 November 1976 31 March 1977 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned in August 2012. 5 513 淮安 / Huai'an City of Huai'an Hudong 19 April 1977 31 December 1977 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned on 20 May 2013. Ex Huaiyin, renamed on December 20, 2006. Transferred to University of Naval Engineering as training ship. 6 512 无锡 / Wuxi City of Wuxi Hudong 27 July 1977 14 December 1978 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned on 16 August 2012. 7 514 镇江 / Zhenjiang City of Zhenjiang Hudong 11 February 1978 25 January 1979 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned on 12 May 2013. Used as a target ship. 8 518 吉安 / Ji'an City of Ji'an Hudong 10 July 1978 31 March 1979 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in 2012. After retiring, settled in Wuxue Binjiang Park National Defense Education Base. 9 510 绍兴 / Shaoxing City of Shaoxing Hudong 26 January 1979 30 June 1979 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in March 2007. Transferred to Coast Guard as Coast Guard Patrol Ship #1003. 10 509 常德 / Changde City of Changde Hudong 29 April 1979 30 September 1979 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in March 2007. Transferred to Coast Guard as Coast Guard Patrol Ship #1002. 11 519 长治 / Changzhi City of Changzhi Hudong 24 July 1979 16 December 1979 North Sea Fleet Active. Reserved as an experiment platform. 12 520 开封 / Kaifeng City of Kaifeng Hudong 7 October 1979 28 June 1980 North Sea Fleet Decommissioned in 1992. Running aground on reef in 1985. Scrapped. 13 551 茂名 / Maoming City of Maoming Hudong 10 May 1980 30 September 1980 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in October 2012. Scrapped. 14 552 宜宾 / Yibin City of Yibin Hudong 17 July 1980 19 December 1980 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in October 2012. Scrapped.

Number Pennant Number Name Namesake Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status 1 533 台州 / Taizhou City of Taizhou Hudong 13 December 1981 30 June 1982 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned on July 13, 2019. Ex Ningbo, renamed on 6 March 2003. 2 534 金华 / Jinhua City of Jinhua Hudong 21 May 1982 13 December 1982 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned on July 13, 2019. Plans to move her to Hengdian as a museum ship. 3 543 丹东 / Dandong City of Dandong Hudong 25 January 1985 30 May 1985 North Sea Fleet Decommissioned in May 2021. Moved to Dandong as a museum ship. 4 553 韶关 / Shaoguan City of Shaoguan Hudong 2 May 1985 24 September 1985 South Sea Fleet Active. 5 554 安顺 / Anshun City of Anshun Hudong 10 March 1986 27 June 1986 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in March 2012. Transferred to Burmese Navy as UMS Maha Bandula (F21). 6 555 昭通 / Zhaotong City of Zhaotong Hudong 7 September 1986 24 March 1987 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned on April 29, 2021. 7 545 临汾 / Linfen City of Linfen Hudong 9 November 1986 30 September 1987 North Sea Fleet Decommissioned on July 13, 2019. 8 556 湘潭 / Xiangtan City of Xiangtan Hudong 14 July 1987 20 December 1987 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in 1989. Transferred to Bangladesh Navy as BNS Osman (F18). Decommissioned in 2020. 9 557 吉首 / Jishou City of Jishou Hudong 8 November 1987 15 June 1988 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in March 2012. Transferred to Burmese Navy as UMS Maha Thiha Thura (F23).

Number Pennant Number Name Namesake Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status 1 544 旅顺 / Lushun City of Lushun Hudong 29 September 1985 24 December 1985 North Sea Fleet Ex Siping, renamed on 28 July 2010. Active. Transferred to Chinese Naval Academy as training ship in 2010.

Number Pennant Number Name Namesake Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status 1 535 黄石 / Huangshi City of Huangshi Hudong 28 December 1985 14 December 1986 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned in April 2013. Sold to Bangladesh Navy as BNS Abu Bakr (F15). 2 536 芜湖 / Wuhu City of Wuhu Hudong 9 August 1986 29 December 1987 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned in April 2013. Sold to Bangladesh Navy as BNS Ali Haider (F17). 3 537 沧州 / Cangzhou City of Cangzhou Hudong 30 October 1989 17 November 1990 East Sea Fleet Decommissioned in August 2019. Ex Zhoushan, renamed on 31 July 2006. Transferred to North Sea Fleet

Number Pennant Number Name Namesake Builder Launched Commissioned Fleet Status 1 558 北海 / Beihai City of Beihai Huangpu January 1993 May 1993 East Sea Fleet Ex Zigong. Active. 2 560 东莞 / Dongguan City of Dongguan Huangpu March 1993 October 1993 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in February 2020 3 561 汕头 / Shantou City of Shantou Huangpu October 1993 South Sea Fleet Decommissioned in February 2020 4 559 佛山 / Foshan City of Foshan Huangpu December 1993 June 1994 East Sea Fleet Ex Kangding. Active 5 562 江门 / Jiangmen City of Jiangmen Huangpu 1995 South Sea Fleet Active. Transferred to Chinese Naval Academy as training ship 6 563 肇庆 / Zhaoqing City of Zhaoqing Huangpu 1995 South Sea Fleet Active. Transferred to Chinese Naval Academy as training ship