The Type 054A/P frigate, designed and built by China Shipbuilding Group Corporation for the Pakistani Navy, was delivered and commissioned in a ceremony held in Shanghai on Nov. 8.
The Type 054A/P frigate is the largest and most technologically advanced surface combat ship exported by China so far, and its onboard equipment is even more advanced than China’s own Type 054A.
For example, it is equipped with the SR2410C three-coordinate phased-array radar, which is a step up from the Type 054A’s frequency-sweeping three-coordinate radar in terms of sea-to-air search and anti-jamming capabilities, and it even has a meter-wave anti-stealth radar, which can be used against India’s future AMCA five-generation aircraft, “Cat Warrior” unmanned wingman and “Life Snatcher” flying-wing drones.
It’s also equipped with the CM302 anti-ship missile, which is almost identical in layout and principle to YJ-12 of the Chinese Navy and is described as a “carrier killer” tailored for the Indian carriers Vikramaditya and Vikrant.
It is said that the CM302’s combat section is not less than 400 kg, with a flight speed of Mach 3 to 3.5, its range is marked 290 km, but that is because the export missile has a range limit of 300 km, and it is believed that such range could be increased significantly.
In addition, the launch box in the middle of Type 054A/P is universal, it can not only launch CM302, but in the future, it can also launch real hypersonic missiles.
It is believed that China has no reservations about Pakistan this time while India has to buy simplified weapons everywhere at high prices.
