China-made foreign trade warships have always been known for their quality and low price, among which the 053H series frigate accounts for the majority of the share of export warships. After entering the new century, more and more advanced foreign trade warships began to flood the market. Without exception, they adopted stealth, highly integrated combat systems and high-reliability designs. The 053H series warships were overshadowed in front of these warships. Therefore, China launched the C-13B light frigate based on the self-use 056 light frigate, becoming the representative of the new generation of low-end foreign trade frigate.
Class 056 frigate is a new generation of multi-purpose light frigate launched by the Chinese Navy in 2012. It adopts a deep V hull and a long bridge turret. The ship is 89 meters long, has a full load displacement of 1,500 tons, a maximum speed of 25.5 knots, and a range of 2,000 nautical miles. The ship uses 361A sea search radar and 349A fire control radar , equipped with H/PJ-26 76mm gun, H/PJ-17 30mm gun, Haihongqi 10 air defense missile, Eagle strike 83 anti-ship missile , and Yu8 anti-submarine missile , but no hangar is installed. This class of ships is mainly engaged in offshore defense operations, patrol and guarding, and fishing escort as their main tasks. They can attack enemy ships within 200 kilometers and air targets within 9 kilometers. The improved 056A strengthens the anti-submarine capability, and a device deployment hatch is added at the stern of the ship, from which dragged sonar can be placed. One six-pipe anti-submarine rocket launcher is installed on each side of the middle of the hull. 056 has been in service with nearly 50 ships.
056 class frigate Bengbu
At present, Bangladesh has purchased 4 C-13B light frigates, and we can take this to gain a glimpse of its combat performance. The front bridge of the C-13B light frigate was replaced by a flat angle from 056 inclination. It was completely replaced with foreign trade equipment based on 056. The air defense missile was replaced with an 8-component FL-3000N ship-to-air missile . The maximum interception distance to the sea is 6 kilometers high-speed, 10 kilometers low-speed, and a minimum range of 500 meters. The interval time does not exceed 3 seconds to intercept and launch continuously. The seeker uses passive radar and passive infrared imaging dual-mode seeker, with high anti-interference ability and guidance accuracy, and a 95% chance of damage; the anti-ship missile is replaced with the Eagle Strike-83 Foreign Trade Version C-802A subsonic missile, with similar basic performance and a range of 200 kilometers, but requires relay guidance. In contrast, the Bangladesh version of C-13B light protection has completely castrated anti-submarine sonar, towed sonar, and anti-submarine missiles, which may be a helpless choice under limited funding, so it can be considered a specialized type of air defense and anti-ship.
FL-3000N Ship-air missile
C-802A Anti-ship missile
Since it is specialized, it must be done to the extreme. Therefore, the C-13B specially strengthened the radar system. The first two purchased by Bangladesh are equipped with SR-60 search radars with far-distance detection distances and TR-47C fire control radars. The latter two have been upgraded to SR-2410C three-coordinate S-band active phased array radars. They adopt the phase scanning mode, the detection distance is 150 kilometers, the average failure time exceeds 1,500 hours, and the average serious failure time exceeds 2,000 hours. They have strong air-to-sea and multi-target combat capabilities. The C-13B also has an NRJ-6A electronic warfare system that is far stronger than the 056. This makes the C-13B lightly protecting the Independence (F111), Determination (F112), Struggle (F113), and Hope (F114) the core of its fleet after being included in the Bangladesh Navy, leading a group of old ships to meet the needs of Bangladesh to defend its borders.
Independent Number (F111)
Determination Number (F112)
Struggle Number (F113) and Hope Number (F114)
Why are there such a big combat difference between 056 and C-13B? Because the combat environment of the two countries and the missions they have given are different. The navy around Bangladesh is constantly renewing its air force and navy, so it faces a greater air and sea threat. On the contrary, the anti-submarine pressure is smaller. Therefore, such a specialized frigate is needed to improve the combat capability of the fleet. It is used as the main ship, but the country's financial pressure is also high, so it simply castrates the anti-submarine capability to achieve specialized combat effectiveness.
In China, the 056 light protection is more important to replace a large number of old ships such as the 037 submarine hunting, and unify the combat platform to simplify logistics, improve self-sustainment, and meet patrol and escort and second-line anti-submarine tasks. Therefore, cost issues have become the top priority. It is cheap, big bowls that are durable and can be equipped quickly. Radars are just enough. They emphasize relying on the systemic combat of the navy and air force and not pursuing advanced. They are a choreographer in the rear of the main fleet. Therefore, more than 50 ships were built, each of which is said to be only 700 million yuan. As for the improvement of anti-submarine capabilities brought by the large-scale deployment of equipment, it is an unexpected surprise.
056A Class Light Protection Zhuzhou Ship
056A Towed Active Sonar
We also need to see that the C-13B Light Protection basically uses my country's mature shelf products, so it can be combined into more powerful combat ships according to the requirements of the user countries, such as adding ship hull sonar, towed line array sonar and anti-submarine missiles, replacing anti-ship missiles, etc., to meet the needs of different countries. The "beggar version" or "luxury version" is only in your wallet, which will undoubtedly have a huge attraction to third-world countries that urgently need to replace old warships. I hope that in the near future, we will see more C-13B light protection going abroad and heading far away!
C-13B Light protection determination number
