China Commission New Class of Warships

84mmrr SG

As reported in ST:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CHINA_WARSHIP?SITE=ASIAONE&SECTION=ASIA&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

More details in Sinodefence.com:

Ma'anshan Class (Type 054) Missile Frigate

Maanshan class (Type 054) is the multirole missile frigate for the PLA Navy to succeed the Jiangwei class frigate. So far two ships (525 and 526) have been identified under construction in Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, Shanghai and Huangpu Shipyard, Guangzhou respectively. The 3,400t Type 054 is powered by French-made diesels and fitted with a mixture of Russian- and Chinese-made weapon systems. The PLA Navy may plan to build another two ships over the next few years.

The PLA Navy has been developing its next generation multirole frigate Type 054 since the late 1990s. The frigate is expected to be able to operate in deep oceans, and equipped with capable air defence and antisubmarine warfare (ASW) systems. As a cost-efficient frigate, the weapon systems and sensors onboard the Type 054 are less sophisticated comparing to the newly launched Type 052B/C destroyers, but its general performance and capability are much superior to the previous Chinese-built frigates such as the Jiangwei and Jianghu class.

archon1234 SG

PLAN is definitely growing from strength to strength in the recent years. The new Type 52B/C and Type51C destroyers are real modern major surface combatants. Together with their newly accquired Russian destroyers, PLAN surface fleet will be ranking closely to Jap and US navy. The China is also looking at modernising her submarine forces. The recent Song class accident could be related to the chinese navy experiements with AIP propulsion. With the new Yuan class sub launch, we can expect PLAN to take take a prong approach to strengthen their submarine forces - one local build, another direct import from Russia. The Russians are happy to sell their latest SSK sub (more modern than Kilo) to Chinese. The Russian are too cash strapped to provide a decent permenent naval presence in Far East to protect her valuable oil assets right now. With Jap hardliner strance on the oil issue with China, Russian would expect Jap to turn her attention on the Russian Far East as well.

Right here in SE Asia, the conflict flash point will still be at the South China sea over the potential oil resources in the region. As oil price sky rocketed in the recent days and the growing of nationalism in many countries, the likehood for armed conflicts over potential oil resources is REAL and Spontenuous!

tankee1981 SG

Can our navy and airforce have the capability to repel the first wave of attacks from the PLAN should such a conflict occurs? Very Happy

kenlim81 SG

PLAN also build new nuclear sub to replace it ssn han and ssbn xia.

kenlim81 SG

the name of the sub was said to be type 093 and type 094

84mmrr SG

I doubt that SG will get involve in this conflict. We have no stake in this islands dispute. Even US is not willing to help Philippines if there is a clash with China over Spratly.

In any case, China has been behaving well for now. So, short term wise should be ok. Long term wise, our FFGs, F16s, F15T and the new subs will be a force to be reckoned with. But whose side are we in? Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam or China? I think it's a bit confusing and I doubt any Sporeans would want to fight somebody's war.

An interesting article from IDSS on this potential conflict:
http://www.idss.edu.sg/publications/WorkingPapers/WP87.pdf

archon1234 SG

Singapore is too small to take on the Asia Giant. Even Jap have difficulties in handling the Chinese political and economic clouts. In the real world, Sg economic strength is equivalent to maybe Shanghai + Suzhou, but we have only about 3.2mil of Singaporeans. Even we add up all our ASEAN neighbours, I dun think we are strong enough.

Not to mentioned about war capability, ASEAN is losing its shine as a foreign investment destinations for many investors. W/O $$$, how to fight a war?

spencer99 SG

I agree... and the spore leadership is too smart not to realize that also....

what we are need and trying to maintain is a credible defence force so as to deter countries from trying to use military power to force their will on us.

I think that spore is still trying to get the US to maintain its presence in this region to deter china's military expansion.

I really fear PLAN's growth.... so scary.

SMAPLionHeart SG

I believe if China wants to take over the islands , the only threat comes from Japan. The rest doesn't have a powerful say.

|-|05| SG

Politically ok maybe not. However i believe economically it is possible. Considering the amount of factories there that are Japanese owned, and the sheer amount of things Japan buys from China.

Besides if China does flex her muscles too much, the US might step in and impose economic sanctions which too will have dire consquences. I mean most of these Chinese products are going overseas to the EU,Japan and the US!
All they have to do is source else where. Alittle more expensive but it's still bearable.

38 SG

Must be this 1

054 FFG