China Type 054B frigates may increase missile capacity by 50%

Satellite imagery analysis suggests that China may be expanding the missile capacity of its new Type 054B frigates. Reports indicate the People’s Liberation Army Navy may have increased the vertical launch system (VLS) capacity from 32 cells to 48, representing a 50 percent increase in firepower.

Imagery from Vantor shows a Type 054B being fitted out at Shanghai’s Hudong Zhonghua shipyard with a different VLS arrangement. While the first two ships in the class feature four eight-cell units, an unfinished vessel appears to have six units. This modification is intended to provide greater staying power during sustained combat and allow for more flexibility in balancing air-defense weapons against anti-submarine systems.

The Type 054B is a 5,000-ton successor to the Type 054A, featuring a stealthier design and indigenous sensor suites. The expanded VLS can support weapons such as the HHQ-16 surface-to-air missile and the Yu-8 anti-submarine rocket. Analysts note that this upgrade narrows the capability gap between Chinese and United States surface combatants.