CNS Wuzhou (626)

Guided-Missile Corvette / Frigate Warship

China | 2019

"CNS Wuzhou is just one of many vessels making up the potent Type 056A corvette fighting warship class of the modern PLAN."

Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense; Public Release.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 05/02/2022 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

CNS Wuzhou (626) is an all-modern surface fighting combatant serving the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China. The ship is classified locally as a frigate but recognized by the West as a Corvette. With good endurance, ocean-going speed, and a broad weapon's set, the warship makes up a critical component of the Chinese presence in the Pacific Theater as part of the formidable South Sea Fleet. The ship is built to the Type 056A standard (known locally as the Jiangdao-class) and a total of seventy-two hulls (Type 056/056A combined) were built to the standard originating from no fewer than three Chinese shipyards. The Type 056/056A succeeded the Type 037 corvette series of warships in service with the PLAN.

The warship has an all-modern silhouette utilizing slab sides, a stepped hull approach, and low-profile lines. The primary turret is set over the forecastle with the bridge superstructure set aft. The main mast is integrated to the rear portion of the bridge superstructure. The superstructure lines run unbroken from aft of the forecastle to ahead of the helicopter landing area. The smoke funnels are of a fully-enclosed, low-profile design while being seated amidships. The aft hull superstructure is home to a hangar area, additional sensors, and weaponry.

Displacing 1,500 tons, the hull has an overall length of 300 feet with a beam of 36.5 feet and a draught down to 13 feet. The shallow draught allows for close-to-shore operational support. Propulsion power is derived from 2 x SEMT Pielstick PA6-STC diesel units driving 2 x Shafts astern up to speeds of 25 knots out to a range of 3,500 nautical miles. Aboard is a complement of 78 personnel.

The vessel is outfitted with all the sensors, processing systems, and weapons needed to counter modern at-sea threats of the day. Air-surface search is handled by the Type 360 radar while Fire Control (FC) is managed through the Type 347G series suite. The hull is also equipped with a sonar system at the bow and the vessel can deploy a towed array as well as a variable depth unit as needed.

Armament is led by the 76mm AK-176 turreted deck gun over the forecastle. Other ballistic solutions include a pair of 30mm H/PJ-17 series automatic cannons for short-to-medium-ranged work. However, the heart of the design is the missile armament which includes a single 8-cell FL-3000N Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) launcher and a pair of twin-celled YJ-83 Anti-Ship Missiles (ASMs) - both giving the warship ranged, medium-to-long-distance fire. Rounding out the armament suite is a pair of 324mm triple torpedo tubes.

Over the rear of the hull is a helipad / hangar combination deck area providing full at-sea services to a medium-lift helicopter. Typically, a Harbin Z-9 rotorcraft is stationed aboard the vessel and this aircraft can be outfitted for various over-water operations including anti-ship, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW), Search and Rescue (SAR), scouting, artillery direction, and general resupply.

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one sea-going vessel design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for CNS Wuzhou (626).

2 x SEMT Pielstick PA6-STC marine diesel engines driving 2 x Shafts astern.
Propulsion

25.0 kts
28.8 mph
Surface Speed

3,476 nm
4,000 miles | 6,437 km
Range

Structure
The bow-to-stern, port-to-starboard physical qualities of CNS Wuzhou (626).

78
Personnel
Complement

300.0 ft
91.44 meters
O/A Length

36.5 ft
11.13 meters
Beam

13.0 ft
3.96 meters
Draught

1,500
tons
Displacement

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of CNS Wuzhou (626).

1 x 76mm AK-176 turreted deck gun.
1 x 8-cell FL-3000N Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) launchers.
2 x 2-cell YJ-83 Anti-Ship Missile (ASM) launchers.
2 x 30mm H/PJ-17 automatic cannons.
2 x 324mm triple torpedo tubes.

Air Arm
Available supported fixed-wing / rotary-wing aircraft featured in the design of CNS Wuzhou (626).

1 x Harbin Z-9 medium-lift (or similar) navy / maritime helicopter supported from stern helipad / hangar deck area.

Ships-in-Class (72)
Notable series variants as part of the CNS Wuzhou (626) family line as relating to the Type 056A group.

TYPE 056: CNS Xinyang (501); Suzhou (503); CNS Qinhuangdao (505); CNS Baoding (511); CNS Heze (512); CNS Datong (580); CNS Yingkou (581); CNS Bengbu (582); CNS Shangrao (583); CNS Meizhou (584); CNS Baise (585); CNS Ji'an (586); CNS Jieyang (587); CNS Quanzhou (588); CNS Qingyuan (589); CNS Weihai (590); Unnamed (591); CNS Luzhou (592); Unnamed (595); CNS Huizhou (596); CNS Qinzhou (597); TYPE 056A: CNS Huangshi (502); CNS Sanmenxia (593); CNS Zhuzhou (594); some 71 ships-in-class are planned for Chinese Navy; BANGLADESH: Shadhinota (F111); Prottoy (F112); Shongram (F113); Prottasha (F114) NIGERIA: Centenary (F91); Unity (F92)

Operators
Global operator(s) of the CNS Wuzhou (626). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national naval warfare listing.

[ China ]

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Image from the Chinese Ministry of Defense; Public Release.

Going Further...
CNS Wuzhou (626) Guided-Missile Corvette / Frigate Warship appears in the following collections:

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