Type 053H-class (Jianghu I & II)
Summary
| Origin country | 🇨🇳 China |
| Category | Frigate |
| Subtype | Frigate |
| Manufacturer | Hudong Shipyard |
| Year commissioned | 1974 |
| Units | Yingtan, Jiujiang, Xiamen, Nanping, Nantong, Huai'an, Wuxi, Zhenjiang, Ji'an, Shaoxing, Changde, Changzhi, Kaifeng, Maoming, Yibin, Taizhou, Jinhua, Dandong, Shaoguan, Anshun, Zhaotong, Linfen, Xiangtan, Jishou, Lushun, Huangshi, Wuhu, Cangzhou, Beihai, Dongguan, Shantou, Foshan, Jiangmen, Zhaoqing, BNS Osman, BNS Abu Bakr, BNS Ali Haider, UMS Maha Bandula, UMS Maha Thiha Thura, ENS Najim al-Zafir, ENS Al-Nasser, HTMS Chao Phraya, HTMS Bangpakong, HTMS Kraburi, HTMS Saiburi |
Operators
Technical specifications
| Displacement | 2000 tons |
| Range | 4000 km at 15 knots |
| Crew | 200 members |
| Width | 12.0 m (39.4 ft) |
| Length | 112.0 m (367.5 ft) |
| Air Park |
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| Propulsion | 2 to 4 diesel engines 16,000 to 22,000 shp |
| Armament |
|
| Maximum speed | 32 knots |
Description
The Type 053 is a family of Chinese frigates developed by the No. 701 Institute to replace the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) older surface fleet. The design originated from the reverse-engineering of the Soviet Riga-class (Type 01) and the subsequent Type 065. Development split into the Type 053K air-defense variant and the Type 053H surface warfare variant. The latter became the basis for several successive subclasses commissioned between 1975 and the late 1990s.
Design characteristics evolved through multiple iterations. Early Type 053H units featured SJD-3 telescoping sonar to reduce hull-generated interference. The Type 053H1 introduced transistor-based electronics and improved engines. The Type 053H2 marked a shift toward modernized standards, incorporating airtight cabins, central air conditioning, NBC protection, and the ZKJ-3A integrated combat management system. These features were later standardized in the Type 053H1G. For aviation capabilities, the Type 053H1Q was modified with an aft helicopter deck to support the Harbin Z-9. The class utilizes diesel propulsion, a departure from the steam turbines used in the original Riga-class design.
The PLAN deployed the Type 053 family across the East, South, and North Sea Fleets. Operational roles included surface warfare, air defense, and later, specialized functions. One unit, the Jiujiang, was converted into a fire support ship using multiple rocket launchers. In 2007, two frigates were transferred to the China Coast Guard and refitted as ocean patrol vehicles with modified superstructures and reduced armament. Several retired units serve as training vessels for the Chinese Naval Academy or as museum ships.
International service includes transfers and sales to four foreign navies. The Royal Thai Navy operates the Type 053HT and the Naresuan-class, which is based on an enlarged Type 053 hull utilizing Western engines and electronics. The Bangladesh Navy operates three units, including two Type 053H2 frigates transferred in 2013. The Myanmar Navy acquired two Type 053H1 vessels in 2012. Two units were also delivered to the Egyptian Navy.
A notable operational incident occurred in July 2012 when the Type 053H1G frigate Dongguan ran aground on Half Moon Shoal in the Spratly Islands. The vessel was refloated and returned to port with minor damage. By 2021, most early variants had been decommissioned from active PLAN service, though several remains on the roster as training or experimental platforms.