Type 056 corvette

Type 056 corvette
Type 056 corvette
	PLAN Type 056 Corvette
Class overview
Builders:	Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding ; CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding; Wuchang Shipyard; Liaonan Shipyard
Operators:	People's Liberation Army Navy; Bangladesh Navy (ordered)
Preceded by:	Type 037 patrol craft
Building:	5+
Planned:	20 for 1st batch
Completed:	15
Active:	11
General characteristics
Type:	Corvette
Displacement:	1,300 tonnes (Standard Load); 1,440 tons (Full Load)
Length:	89m
Beam:	11.6m
Draft:	4.0m
Propulsion:	2 diesel
Speed:	28 kn
Range:	3500 nmi (6500 km) at 18 knots
Complement:	60
Sensors and ; processing systems:	SR64 air/surface-search radar; TR47 gun fire-control radar
Armament:	• 2× 2-cell YJ-83 (C-803) anti-ship missiles, amidships ; • 1× HQ-10 8-round SAM launcher, aft; • 1× H/PJ-26 76 mm main gun, forward; • 2× H/PJ-17 30mm RWSs, amidships ; • 2× triple torpedo tubes
Aviation facilities:	Helipad

The Type 056 corvette (NATO codename: Jiangdao) is a new Chinese light warship that entered service with the People's Liberation Army Navy in 2012 as a replacement for the Type 037 series of patrol vessels. It has been described as a stealth missile corvette which is also armed with a 76mm main gun.

History[]

Following the designing and building of the Pattani class corvette for the Royal Thai Navy in the mid-2000s, speculation of a domestic variant of the design was rife. The speculations were confirmed in November 2010 during a visit by Maj. Gen. Wang Junli, Deputy commander of the Hong Kong Garrison and the Hong Kong University's Vice-Chancellor Tsui Lap-chee^[1] when a model of the Type 056 was presented. The first ship was launched in May 2012.^[2]^[3]

Though the Type 056 appears in the 21st century, the design concept can be referred to as early as the 1980s, when the PLAN were considering developing a larger patrol ship to replace the Type 037 to improve the living conditions on the ship, which was firstly called by Type 038. However, this concept was not realized until the appearance of Type 056 in 2012 due to the shortage of funds.^[4]^[5]

Design[]

The Type 056 has a stealthy hull design with sloped surface and a reduced superstructure clutter. There is a helipad at the stern for a light helicopter but has no organic helicopter support facilities.

The main anti-ship armament consists of YJ-83 sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missiles in two twin-cell launchers. The primary anti-aircraft armament is one FL-3000N short range missile system with 8 rounds. A 76 mm main gun based on a Russian AK-176 is mounted forward. 2 triple torpedo tubes are mounted for ASW operations.

Type 056 is the first Chinese warship with modular design, which makes it cover the roles from OPV to multi-role frigate. The PLAN used versions may include patrol type, ASW type, ASuW type, AAW type and commander type; while the export versions can be quite differently fitted according to consumer's requirement.For the moment, at least 3 variants of Type 056 for export exist with the same design of hull but varying bridge designs and armament layouts.

Ships[]

Number	Pennant Number	Name	Builder	Launched	Commissioned	Fleet	Status
1	582	蚌埠 / Bengbu	Hudong	23 May 2012^[3]	25 February 2013^[6]	East Sea Fleet	Active
2	596	惠州 / Huizhou	Huangpu	3 June 2012	1 July 2013^[7]	Hong Kong Garrison	Active
3	584	梅州 / Meizhou	Wuchang	31 July 2012	30 July 2013^[8]	South Sea Fleet	Active
4	580	大同 / Datong	Liaonan	10 August 2012	18 May 2013^[9]	North Sea Fleet	Active
5	583	上饶 / Shangrao	Hudong	19 August 2012	10 June 2013	East Sea Fleet	Active
6	597	钦州 / Qinzhou	Huangpu	30 August 2012	1 July 2013 ^[7]	Hong Kong Garrison	Active
7	585	百色/ Baise	Wuchang	25 October 2012	12 October 2013	South Sea Fleet	Active
8	581	营口 / Yingkou	Liaonan	18 November 2012	1 August 2013^[10]	North Sea Fleet	Active
9	587	揭阳 / Jieyang	Huangpu	28 January 2013	26 January 2014^[11]	South Sea Fleet	Active
10	586	吉安 / Ji'an	Hudong	25 February 2013	8 January 2014	East Sea Fleet	Active
11	589	清远 / Qingyuan	Huangpu	31 May 2013		South Sea Fleet	Sea trail
12	588	泉州 / Quanzhou	Hudong	26 June 2013		East Sea Fleet	Sea trail
13	592		Wuchang	16 July 2013		South Sea Fleet	Sea trail
14	590	威海 / Weihai	Liaonan	1 August 2013	15 March 2014	North Sea Fleet	Active
15	591		Liaonan	1 August 2013		North Sea Fleet	Sea trails
16	595		Wuchang	14 November 2013		South Sea Fleet	Fitting out
17	593	宿迁 / Suqian	Hudong	20 November 2013		East Sea Fleet	Fitting out
18	594		Huangpu	30 November 2013		South Sea Fleet	Fitting out
19			Huangpu			South Sea Fleet	Under construction
20			Hudong			East Sea Fleet	Under construction

Export[]

At least two versions of OPV that are blood relations with the Type 056 have been sold to other countries. One is the Royal Thai Navy's Pattani class OPV, the other is an enlarged version with full-load displacement of 1800 tonnes. Two OPVs based on the Pattani class have been ordered by the Nigerian Navy. Their factory designation is P18N.^[12]

Two corvette versions have been sold to the Bangladesh Navy. A multi-role frigate version of the Type 056 with integrated mast and VLS also appeared at LIMA 2013.