Chinese frigate Rizhao

Rizhao underway on 23 June 2020
History
China
Name	Rizhao
Namesake	Rizhao (日照)
Builder	Huangpu, Shanghai
Launched	1 April 2017
Commissioned	12 January 2018
Identification	Pennant number: 598
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Type 054A frigate
Displacement	4,053 tonnes (full)
Length	134.1 m (440 ft)
Beam	16 m (52 ft)
Propulsion	CODAD, 4 × Shaanxi 16 PA6 STC diesels, 5700 kW (7600+ hp @ 1084 rpm) each
Speed	27 knots estimated
Range	8,025 nautical miles (9,235 mi; 14,862 km) estimated
Complement	165
Sensors and processing systems	Type 382 Radar Type 344 Radar (Mineral-ME Band Stand) OTH target acquisition and SSM fire control radar 4 × Type 345 Radar(MR-90 Front Dome) SAM fire control radars MR-36A surface search radar, I-band Type 347G 76 mm gun fire control radar 2 × Racal RM-1290 navigation radars, I-band MGK-335 medium frequency active/passive sonar system H/SJG-206 towed array sonar ZKJ-4B/6 (developed from Thomson-CSF TAVITAC) combat data system HN-900 Data link (Chinese equivalent of Link 11A/B, to be upgraded) SNTI-240 SATCOM AKD5000S Ku band SATCOM
Electronic warfare & decoys	Type 922-1 radar warning receiver HZ-100 ECM & ELINT system Kashtan-3 missile jamming system
Armament	1 × 32-cell VLS HQ-16 SAM Yu-8 anti submarine rocket launcher 2 × 4 C-803 anti-ship / land attack cruise missiles 1 × PJ26 76 mm dual-purpose gun 2 × Type 730 7-barrel 30 mm CIWS guns or Type 1130 2 × 3 324mm Yu-7 ASW torpedo launchers 2 × 6 Type 87 240mm anti-submarine rocket launcher (36 rockets carried) 2 × Type 726-4 18-tube decoy rocket launchers
Aircraft carried	1 Kamov Ka-28 'Helix' or Harbin Z-9C
Aviation facilities	hangar

Rizhao (598) is a Type 054A frigate of the People's Liberation Army Navy. She was commissioned on 12 January 2018.

Development and design

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

Rizhao was launched on 1 April 2017 at the China State Shipbuilding Corporation in Shanghai. Commissioned on 12 January 2018.

In February 2023, the frigate was deployed to the south Indian Ocean to engage in joint exercises with the South African and Russian navies that were to be held in waters off South Africa. The exercise began on 18 February and involved the frigate Admiral Gorshkov and tanker Kama from the Russian Navy ^[3] along with the People's Liberation Army Navy destroyer Huainan and the support ship Kekexilihu . Several vessels from the South African Navy were expected to participate including the frigate Mendi as well as the Warrior-class patrol vessel King Sekhukhune I and the hydrographic survey vessel SAS Protea. ^[4]

References

1. 舰载武器SHIPBORNE WEAPONS 2013 AUGUST ISSUE
2. "Chinese Navy". Archived from the original on 7 January 2007. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
3. "Russia, China and South Africa began naval maneuvers". Prensa Latina. 17 February 2023.
4. Ryabchiy, Kate (16 February 2023). "South Africa's naval drills with Russia, China "tantamount to joining war against Ukraine"". Euromaidan Press.