Evaluation of Taiwans Light Type Frigate Prototype Construction, Expected Completion and Delivery by 2026
According to reports from Taiwanese media, this morning, the Taiwanese militarys Lightweight Escort Ship - Air Defense Prototype Ship commenced construction at the CSBC shipyard in Qijin, Kaohsiung The steel cutting ceremony was held at the construction site The report mentioned that the Lightweight Escort Ship - Prototype Ship is being built under a contract between the Taiwanese navy and CSBC shipyard Including the first ship that began construction, two prototype ships are planned to be built (the other being the Anti-Submarine Prototype Ship - Editors note), and both ships are scheduled for completion and delivery in 2026 The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Global Shipping Database has already included the registration information of the two Lightweight Escort Ship - Prototype Ships The ship names have not been announced yet, so the construction shipyard JONG SHYN (pronounced Zhong Xin in Chinese) is currently being used as the name The construction of the Taiwanese militarys Lightweight Escort Ship Prototype Ship has commenced, and delivery is expected in 2026
Phased array radars are restricted; small ship radars are weak.
Interesting fact:
Phased array radars are a terrestrial technology, not a celestial technology like star-top ones. They are constrained by the laws of physics, such as:
If the power supply is weak, the power output is small, and therefore the detection capability is weak. In the case of small ship radars, the radar antenna area is small, resulting in a weak detection capability.
Of course, you can install a phased array radar on a 1500-ton frigate to make it look like the real deal, but it would only be for show. This is because a 1500-ton frigate cannot support a high-level phased array radar system, both in terms of power supply and the structural capacity of the ship.
In terms of this tonnage, the so-called “phased array” cannot match the capability of the 382 radar on the Type 054A frigate.
The 382 radar has a search range of 250 km and can track 100 targets and engage 20 of them. This level of combat capability cannot be achieved by simply attaching a “phased array” label.
Taiwan’s Naval Air Defense Vessel Configuration Issue
Is this the thing?
Leaving aside other matters, with only 8 vertical launch system (VLS) cells and no four-face phased array radar, how can you call this an air defense vessel in the East Asian region?
You can’t possibly say that those 8 cells in the middle of the ship are actually fixed air defense missile launch boxes, right? Are they still using this outdated technology for newly built ships?
Moreover, the last time the Taiwan pseudo navy acquired a new frigate (referring to newly built ones, not second-hand ships purchased at a high price from the United States) was the Chengde-class Kangding delivered on March 19, 1998. It has been over 25 years since then.
Back then, what did mainland China have? Just 16 ships from the 051 series, 37 ships from the 053 series, and 2 ships from the 052 series. That was it. At the time, Taiwan’s navy was indeed small but efficient (not to mention, not very small).
Now, there’s no need to mention the scale of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) anymore. It’s truly embarrassing to still be producing such inadequate products that can’t even be shown to others.
Controlling the cost at a similar level
I wonder if the cost can be controlled at a level similar to that of 054B. If it can, it indicates that this project is relatively cost-effective.
Nobody Pursues
If, and I mean if, we were to divide this money among everyone after 25 years of the CCP’s unification efforts, how would we calculate it? Would anyone pursue it?
No, they wouldn’t!