Early design model of Chinese frigate 053H

[cattalonX]

I see these picture few years ago，looks like 053H，but many slight difference
main guns，missile launcher······
then I get some book about Chinese shipbuilding history


It said 053H has two early design，1100tons and 1300tons，armament difference are 57mm or 100mm maingun and one or two missile launchers，
this model has only one missile launcher，so it may be the 1100ton design，but the model's main gun is different from every PLAN 57mm guns

 

[awhalen61]

The turret looks like the red headed stepchild of a 5"/38 twin and a 130mm B-2-U

 

[Petrus]

Quite interesting model. Question is whether it is (i) a model of 'real' project (which was to be built) or rather (ii) a generic model of an unspecified (not-real, hypothetical, fake) ship.

I would say that the latter option seems more probable, because:

1. The main calibre turrets (rather 100mm than anything else) don't resemble twin turrets that are seen on Chinese frigates (photo below).
2. There is no light AA battery, usually 37mm twin mountings, typically carried on Chinese ships of 1970s/1980s period.
3. There is no ASW rocket launchers on the foredeck, typically carried as the light AA batteries.
4. On a superstructure behind the bow turret there are two and before the after turret there is one (portside only) mysterious object that resembles something like a quadruple missile launcher similar to the Sea Cat launcher (see arrows on the attached pictures).
5. Missile launcher amidships seems to be parallel to the main deck, while Chinese twin- or triple launchers were inclined in relation to the deck (see photo below).

What do you think of that?

Piotr

 

[Tzoli]

Let me help with image brightness:

 

[Tzoli]

I suspect too it was a hypothetical project. It reminds me (the idea) of an image showing a soviet cruiser or battleship with what looked like mixed soviet and USN architecture made by students (equipped what looked like Soveitifeid 5"/38 Mark 12 gun turrets)

 

[cattalonX]

Quite interesting model. Question is whether it is (i) a model of 'real' project (which was to be built) or rather (ii) a generic model of an unspecified (not-real, hypothetical, fake) ship.

I would say that the latter option seems more probable, because:

1. The main calibre turrets (rather 100mm than anything else) don't resemble twin turrets that are seen on Chinese frigates (photo below).
2. There is no light AA battery, usually 37mm twin mountings, typically carried on Chinese ships of 1970s/1980s period.
3. There is no ASW rocket launchers on the foredeck, typically carried as the light AA batteries.
4. On a superstructure behind the bow turret there are two and before the after turret there is one (portside only) mysterious object that resembles something like a quadruple missile launcher similar to the Sea Cat launcher (see arrows on the attached pictures).
5. Missile launcher amidships seems to be parallel to the main deck, while Chinese twin- or triple launchers were inclined in relation to the deck (see photo below).

What do you think of that?

Piotr

of course this is't a real project. real 053H has many differences with this model
and I agree with you about AA battery,ASW rocket launchers and mysterious missile launcher
but there're some problems
First,main guns，the twin 100 gun was used later than ship，so early ships was use single soviet 100mm B34
or twin 57mm（Egyptian version），so we can suppose maybe that is a unused design or early ideas
Than the missile launchers， yes it's strange ，but I see some other layout design of the triple launchers，I think maybe the same thing happened to the twin launchers··

 

[Petrus]

It seems quite interesting what is said about the development of the 053H frigate at https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china//jianghu.htm:

The No. 701 Institute began to research the concept of a guided missile frigate specialized with both anti-air and some anti-ship capabilities. From 1966 to 1969, the conceptual design of the frigate involved a diesel/oil engine. The development of the ship was carried about by the Hutong shipyard, No. 701 Institute, and navy.

Development and construction of the frigate was almost completed in the mid-70s, until the primary mission of the frigate, which was anti-air, was changed to anti-ship due to the needs of the PLAN. Resultantly, the weapon systems of the frigate were modified. Instead of a fitting the frigate with anti-air missiles, the frigate was now re-equipped with anti-ship missiles and systems. Instead of twin 100mm cannons, the frigate was now equipped with a single-barreled 100mm cannon. By 1976, the newly re-oriented anti-ship frigate was finished and designated as the Type I anti-ship guided missile frigate.

My understanding is that initially the Chinese wanted to have a frigate with primary AA capability and secondary ASuW capability. It was to be armed with anti-air missiles and twin 100mm cannon (perhaps with anti-ship missiles as well).
Then they changed their mind and the frigate became a single-purpose (ASuW) ship. So anti-air missiles were dropped (and replaced with AA 37mm guns) and the twin 100mm mountings (perhaps something had gone wrong with their development) replaced with the old hand-operated single mountings. And the ASuW missile battery was probably doubled.

So it looks quite possible that the model we have here represents the early version of what eventually became the 053H.

Two questions appear:

1) What was the abortive twin 100mm mounting? Was it somehow based on Soviet desings, e.g. B-54, MZ-14, MZ-16?

2) What anti-air missiles system was to be included in the original project? The model has something looking like a quadruple launcher similar to the Sea Cat. Did the Chinese try to copy the Sea Cat or built someting along the lines of the Sea Cat? If so it would be a short-range missile system intended to replace light AA guns. Apparently the development of such a system ran into some problems and was cancelled, so the Chinese navy must have still used old AA guns.

Piotr

 

[DWG]

Look at how far the RN's GW series of designs varied from the County Class that was eventually produced. Two design concepts can be radically far apart, yet still represent valid versions of the same project.

I think we probably are looking at an abortive AAW fit, though not necessarily an unknown missile. The simplest AAW fit, for a nation just aiming for that technology, might be something like Sea Chapparal, which would just need you to hang PL-2s on a remote launcher. We know the Chinese eventually went for 2xHQ-61 in the 053K Jiangdongs, but that doesn't mean there weren't earlier concepts looking at simpler (or back-up) missile fits.

And while the 5 tube Type 62 ASW RLs are absent from the model, it does have the same depth charge projectors and reload cages on the stern that actual 053s do.

 

[cattalonX]

It seems quite interesting what is said about the development of the 053H frigate at https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/china//jianghu.htm:

The No. 701 Institute began to research the concept of a guided missile frigate specialized with both anti-air and some anti-ship capabilities. From 1966 to 1969, the conceptual design of the frigate involved a diesel/oil engine. The development of the ship was carried about by the Hutong shipyard, No. 701 Institute, and navy.

Development and construction of the frigate was almost completed in the mid-70s, until the primary mission of the frigate, which was anti-air, was changed to anti-ship due to the needs of the PLAN. Resultantly, the weapon systems of the frigate were modified. Instead of a fitting the frigate with anti-air missiles, the frigate was now re-equipped with anti-ship missiles and systems. Instead of twin 100mm cannons, the frigate was now equipped with a single-barreled 100mm cannon. By 1976, the newly re-oriented anti-ship frigate was finished and designated as the Type I anti-ship guided missile frigate.

My understanding is that initially the Chinese wanted to have a frigate with primary AA capability and secondary ASuW capability. It was to be armed with anti-air missiles and twin 100mm cannon (perhaps with anti-ship missiles as well).
Then they changed their mind and the frigate became a single-purpose (ASuW) ship. So anti-air missiles were dropped (and replaced with AA 37mm guns) and the twin 100mm mountings (perhaps something had gone wrong with their development) replaced with the old hand-operated single mountings. And the ASuW missile battery was probably doubled.

So it looks quite possible that the model we have here represents the early version of what eventually became the 053H.

Two questions appear:

1) What was the abortive twin 100mm mounting? Was it somehow based on Soviet desings, e.g. B-54, MZ-14, MZ-16?

2) What anti-air missiles system was to be included in the original project? The model has something looking like a quadruple launcher similar to the Sea Cat. Did the Chinese try to copy the Sea Cat or built someting along the lines of the Sea Cat? If so it would be a short-range missile system intended to replace light AA guns. Apparently the development of such a system ran into some problems and was cancelled, so the Chinese navy must have still used old AA guns.

Piotr

As I know，the 053 frigate development timeline like this
First，1967，Chinese start a plan to build four kinds ship：030submarine，035submarine，051 destroyer，and 053 frigate。
（befor this，there are other frigate plan but no relation to 053）
1967plan's 053 was a AA only frigate，requirement include new 100mm guns，new 37 mm guns，CODAG，and two triple anti-air missile
but the 851 gas turbine only have 200 hours of service life，navy firmly do not want it，and 100mm guns progress is too slow
so，1969，two new design been proposed，one 94meter with 57mm maingun，and the otherone 98meter with 100mm maingun，both with diesel and twin anti-air missile
Navy choose the 98meter design，and first ship construction started in 1970，Launched in 1971。

When the AA frigate under construction， to replace old frigates。1973，053H started（so old 053 renamed 053K），early design as I said，053H use th same hull of 053K，but arm with old weapon（two single 100 guns，six 37 guns and missile launchers）。first ship construction started and launched in 1975，until 1980，14 ships were built，and 10 modernized ships （053H1）built after 1980（two twin 100 guns and four 37 guns）

then，there are 053H2,053H2G,053H3,and unbuilt 053C/K1/I······