Type 056 corvette

Type 056 corvette Shangrao
Class overview
Builders
Operators
Preceded byType 037
Built2012–2021
In commission2013–present
Completed
  • 22 (Type 056)
  • 50 (Type 056A)[1]
  • 4 (C13B)
  • 2 (P18N)
  • 1 (F-15A)
Active
  • 50 (PLAN)
  • 22 (China Coast Guard)[2]
  • 7 (Others)
General characteristics
TypeCorvette (per NATO)
Displacement1,500 tons
Length90 m (295 ft 3 in)
Beam11.14 m (36 ft 7 in)
Draught4 m (13 ft 1 in)
Propulsion2 SEMT Pielstick PA6-STC diesel motors
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement78
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Type 360 air/surface search radar[3]
  • Type 347G fire control radar
  • Bow sonar
  • Towed array and variable depth sonar (Type 056A)
Armament
Aviation facilitiesHelipad for 1 medium-lift helicopter (Harbin Z-9)

The Type 056 corvette (NATO reporting name: Jiangdao-class corvette) is a class of littoral combat-oriented corvette (designated natively as "light frigate") deployed by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). They replace older coastal patrol craft and some of the Type 053H frigates.[4]

The first Type 056 entered service in March 2013, and 22 ships were built for active service.[5] An anti-submarine warfare (ASW) variant, commonly known as Type 056A, also entered service from 2014 onwards, with another 50 ships built to this variant.[6]

Following construction of Aba (the 50th Type 056A) in December 2019, China ceased building Type 056A corvettes (it had earlier ceased building the original Type 056 model) to focus on procuring bigger bluewater warships for high sea missions.[7] Between mid-2021 and January 2023,[8] the PLAN transferred all 22 original Type 056s to the China Coast Guard while retaining the 50 Type 056As.[2] The pennant numbers for the Type 056 class were thus deleted, while the pennant numbers for the first 20 ships of the Type 056A were altered from their previous "500" series to a new "600" series (the subsequent 30 ships of the Type 056A variant received pennant numbers in the "600" series from the start).[9]

Export variants were delivered to the Algerian National Navy,[10] the Bangladesh Navy[11] and the Nigerian Navy.[12]

  1. ^ Tate, Andrew (17 February 2021). "Chinese navy commissions final two Jiangdao-class corvettes". Janes. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference dod_056_2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference janes201516 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ United States Navy Office of Naval Intelligence (2015). The PLA Navy: New Capabilities and Missions for the 21st Century (PDF) (Report). p. 17. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  5. ^ United States Office of the Secretary of Defense (2013). Annual Report To Congress: Military and Security Developments Involving the People's Republic of China 2013 (PDF) (Report). p. 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 January 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  6. ^ Rahmat, Ridzwan (18 November 2014). "China inducts second Type 056A corvette into East Sea Fleet". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  7. ^ China Builds its last and final Type 056 Corvette. Navy Recognition. 17 January 2020.
  8. ^ Jane's Fighting Ships, 2023-24 Edition, ISBN 978-0-7106-3428 3, page 167
  9. ^ Jane's Fighting Ships, 2023-24 Edition, ISBN 978-0-7106-3428 3, page 148
  10. ^ Military Balance 2024, p. 343.
  11. ^ Mazumdar, Mrityunjoy (13 July 2015). "Bangladesh's new C13B corvettes start sea trials ahead of more orders". IHS Jane's 360. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  12. ^ Mizokami, Kyle (7 May 2015). "A Look at China's Growing International Arms Trade". USNI News. United States Naval Institute. Archived from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.