Chinese shipbuilder lays keel of second Type 54A frigate for Pakistan

The Type 054A frigate. The Pakistan Navy model would be similar but with updates. Photo c/o Sino Defense.

Chinese shipbuilder Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard has recently laid the keel of the second Type 54A frigate for the Pakistan Navy (PN).   

The PN made the announcement on 24 March 2020, which marks a significant milestone on their acquisition of four (4) Type 54A frigates from China. 

The PN-specific model is known as the Type 054A/P.  

The Pakistan defence ministry signed an agreement with China for the purchase of 2 frigates in 2017, with another 2 ships ordered in June 2018. 

Steel cutting has also been made for the third and fourth ships on November 2019, and are expected to reach keel laying in a few months.  

All four frigates are expected to be delivered by 2021, and will become the PN’s most capable surface warships, enabling them to meet future challenges and threats.   

The Type 054A/P will have a similar hull to the Type 054A used by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), but will have improved weapons and sensors suite.  

The standard Type 054A is around 134 meters long, displaces at 4,050 tons, and is powered by four SEMT Pielstick diesel engines, which allows the ship to reach a maximum speed of 27 knots, a range of 8,000 nautical miles at 18 knots.  

While the PN Type 054A/P variant may have a different weapons suite, it is expected that the ships would still be armed with a PJ26 76mm naval gun, eight anti-ship missiles, an a 32-cell vertical launching system (VLS) for HQ-16 surface-to-air missiles, and two triple torpedo launchers.   


[1] Navy Recognition   
[2] Director General Public Relations, Pakistan Navy  
[3] Defpost