Type 054B Guided-Missile Frigate

The Type 054B is a next-generation guided-missile frigate designed for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) to succeed the widely produced Type 054A. It features a larger hull, advanced stealth characteristics, and enhanced anti-submarine and anti-air warfare capabilities. The vessel is optimized to operate as a key escort within Chinese aircraft carrier strike groups and far-seas task forces.

The Type 054B program emerged to address the PLAN's requirement for a larger, more modern blue-water escort than the preceding Type 054A. Construction began in the early 2020s, with the first hull launched at the Hudong-Zhonghua shipyard in Shanghai in August 2023, followed by a second hull in Guangzhou. The design incorporates a new dual-face active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and an integrated mast to reduce radar cross-section. Currently undergoing sea trials, the class represents a major step forward in China's naval modernization and ocean-going capabilities.