Chinese frigate Yancheng

Yancheng is a Type 054A frigate of the People's Liberation Army Navy. She was commissioned on 5 June 2012.

Development and design

The Type 054A carries HQ-16 medium-range air defence missiles and anti-submarine missiles in a vertical launching system system. The HQ-16 has a range of up to 50 km, with superior range and engagement angles to the Type 054's HQ-7. The Type 054A's VLS uses a hot launch method; a shared common exhaust system is sited between the two rows of rectangular launching tubes.
The four AK-630 close-in weapon systems of the Type 054 were replaced with two Type 730 CIWS on the Type 054A. The autonomous Type 730 provides improved reaction time against close-in threats.

Construction and career

Yancheng was launched on 27 April 2011 at the Hudong–Zhonghua Shipbuilding in Shanghai. Commissioned on 5 June 2012.
Yancheng participated with Russian battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy and western vessels in the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons.