The type-056 frigate of the Navy of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aims at changing the present situation of China’s active-service base-defense system featuring aging military strength, single function and low combat power. The new-generation base-defense military strength to be commissioned soon in large quantities will be another important platform for optimizing the equipment structure of the PLA Navy, improving the base-defense combat power as well as enhancing the PLA Navy’s capability of safeguarding China’s national security and territorial integrity, and defending China’s maritime sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

With the features including good stealth performance, strong electromagnetic compatibility and wide application of advanced technologies, the number of crew members of the new-type frigate is only one third of that of the type-053 series frigate. The new-type frigate will be mainly responsible for implementing missions such as patrolling, guarding and escorting as well as anti-submarine operations and operations against sea targets independently or in coordination with other forces. (China Military Online/Dai Zongfeng and Zhao Dong)