Posted on 02/03/2013 9:39:25 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
China offers Type 054 to meet Thai frigate requirement
By Jon Grevatt
1/30/2013
China has offered Thailand its Type 054-class Jiangkai frigate to meet a requirement to procure multipurpose frigates for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), thus potentially putting Beijing and Washington head to head in a large-scale international procurement programme.
Sources have confirmed to IHS Jane's that preliminary discussions between Thailand and China have commenced over the potential deal, in which China has said it is prepared to sell to the RTN three Type 054-class vessels at a cost that will meet the programme's budget of USD1 billion.
While the RTN is said to favour a purchase of a US, European, or South Korean platform, the potential deal to procure from China is being led by the government, which views the Type 054-class as a cost-effective alternative to Western vessels. Additionally, logistical arrangements would favour China given that Thailand already operates a number of Chinese naval platforms.
Lockheed Martin of the US has already confirmed that it is considering offering its Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) as a solution.
A deal to procure the Type 054-class vessel would include technology transfer to enable maintenance, repair, and overhaul
(Excerpt) Read more at janes.com ...
I dunno, it’s probably made of chrome painted rice paper.
Clinton sell them the blueprints?
Makes our new littoral “combat” ships look like a joke. But heck, a WWII USN destroyer already does that too.
And just where the frilly heck would Clinton get the blueprints?
12.5 foot draft. 36.6 knots. 5000 mile cruise range. Four 5 inch turret mounted guns. Torpedoes, depth charges. Festooned with 40mm and 20mm.
A Fletcher class destroyer, built to WWII specs could utterly slaughter the Littoral “Combat” ships. Updated it would be an embarrassment. The new ship carries the Griffin missile. (a whopping 13 lb warhead. The weak love child of a Hellfire and an 82mm mortar. 12 mile range!) It also has a single HUGE 2.2inch gun. In short, it’s almost unable to defend itself on the surface, and has no defense at all against subs.
It it supposed to operate close to shore, but has a 13 foot draft as opposed to the Fletcher at 12.5 ft. Also close to shore is very dangerous for the Littoral. A single tank ashore could kick it’s butt. But if it dared shoot at a Fletcher, it would be slaughtered by the four 5 inch turrets at 15 rounds a minute,,each. The Littoral could shoot it’s 57mm, try a Griffin, or run for it’s life. But it better run. A single 120mm tank round could destroy a littoral.
Why? Because Littorals were actually exempted from the ability to absorb battle damage requirements.
Silly ships, built to please contractors and procurement admirals. While our enemies build warships.
Have to ask Vince Foster, when I hear back, I’ll let you know what he says.
Only if you can get the LCS up to 30,000ft altitude. Surface launch it's 3(and a half)miles.
Thin hull cracks so easily it would make a spectacular target, LCS is little more than that.
Thin hull cracks so easily it would make a spectacular target, LCS is little more than that.
Functionally it comes out equivilent to a Perry FFG: only one helo, but more extensive radar, stealth, twin shaft diesel powerplant.
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