1 photo

Warship

China

China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC)

Type 054A

China's most numerous modern frigate class, providing general-purpose escort and anti-submarine warfare with a 32-cell vertical launch system for medium-range air defense. It has also been exported to Pakistan as the Tughril class.

In service since 2008 · 2 operator countries

Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02

4,000

3,800

nmi

VLS

190

crew

Several performance figures for China-origin systems are manufacturer or state claims with limited independent verification. Treat these specs as directional, not tested values.

Pricing: Unit cost not publicly disclosed

Procurement snapshot

Availability & export

Chinese state channel

State export agencies (NORINCO/CATIC); limited availability to Western-aligned states.

Channel: State export agency

Fielded & proven

Limited · 2 operators

In service since 2008. Status: active · ~30 built.

Lifecycle cost (est.)

No public unit price to model from.

Interoperability

Mk 41 VLS-class

Derived guidance from public data — export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.

Full specifications

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 1x 76 mm main gun
VLS cells Vertical-launch missile cells on a warship — a proxy for magazine depth. Higher means more missiles before rearming.: 32

Stronger than 50% of warships
Torpedo tubes Number of torpedo tubes (submarines and some surface ships).: 6

Stronger than 69% of warships

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 134 m

Naval

Displacement, speed, endurance and diving depth.

Displacement Standard displacement in tonnes — the ship’s size class. Larger hulls carry more but cost more and are less agile.: 4,000 t
Full-load displacement Displacement fully loaded with fuel, stores and munitions.: 4,053 t
Max speed Top speed in knots (surfaced, for submarines). Higher aids positioning and screening.: 27 kn

Stronger than 34% of warships
Range Cruising range in nautical miles. Nuclear vessels are effectively unlimited (fuel-wise). Higher means more reach without replenishment.: 3,800 nmi

Bottom 9% of warships
Complement Crew size. Fewer eases manning cost; more may indicate a larger, more capable platform.: 190
Aircraft carried Embarked aircraft/helicopters. Higher extends the ship’s sensor and strike reach.: 1

Stronger than 20% of warships
Propulsion plant Machinery type — nuclear reactor, gas turbine (COGAG), CODAG, diesel-electric, AIP.: CODAD, diesel engines

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art.: Type 382 3D air-search radar
Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.: hull-mounted sonar, variable-depth sonar

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 30

Top 2% of warships
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 2

Top 9% of warships

Specifications compiled from public China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.

Compare with rivals

See how it stacks up

Warship

Type 054A Alvaro de Bazan class (F100)

Navantia Alvaro de Bazan class (F100)

View Alvaro de Bazan class (F100) ↗

Warship

Type 054A Bonifaz class (F110)

Navantia Bonifaz class (F110)

View Bonifaz class (F110) ↗

Warship

Type 054A Bergamini class (FREMM)

Fincantieri Bergamini class (FREMM)

View Bergamini class (FREMM) ↗

Frequently asked questions

What is the main armament of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 054A? +

The China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 054A's primary weapon is the 1x 76 mm main gun.

What is the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 054A used for? +

The China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 054A is a warship typically used for air defense, anti armor.

How many countries operate the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 054A? +

The China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 054A is operated by 2 countries.

How much does the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 054A cost? +

China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC) Type 054A: Unit cost not publicly disclosed. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.