Type-056A (Jiangdao)

The Type-056A (Jiangdao-class) is a modern light frigate primarily designed for littoral defense and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions. It is a variant of the Type 056 corvette, featuring enhanced ASW capabilities including a towed array sonar.

Developed in the early 2010s to replace the People's Liberation Army Navy's (PLAN) aging fleet of Type 037 patrol craft, the Type-056A was designed to secure China's exclusive economic zones and bolster near-seas defense. The first vessels of this upgraded variant entered active service in late 2014, produced as part of a rapid, large-scale naval modernization effort. Since their introduction, they have been routinely deployed for sovereignty patrols and anti-submarine screening operations in the East and South China Seas. Following the transfer of the baseline Type 056 models to the China Coast Guard around 2021, the PLAN retained the specialized Type-056A fleet, which remains fully operational as the backbone of China's littoral ASW network.