Type 22 missile boat
Ship class in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Type 22 (NATO designation: Houbei class)[5] missile boat is a ship class in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy. The first boat was launched in April 2004 by the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard at Shanghai. The boats incorporate stealth features and are based on Australian-designed wave-piercing catamaran hulls that are more stable than other fast missile craft in high sea conditions.[6] 82 of these missile boats are currently in service with three flotillas having been produced over a span of seven years,[2] operating in squadrons of eight vessels each.[7]
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Type 22 |
| Builders | Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding, Shanghai |
| Operators | People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Preceded by | Type 037-II-class missile boat & C 14-class missile boat |
| Cost | Estimates vary from $14.5 million[1] over $40 million[2] up to $50 million per boat[3] |
| Built | 2004–present |
| In commission | 2004–present |
| Completed | 82 |
| Active | 82 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement | 220 long tons (224 t) full load |
| Length | 42.6 m (139 ft 9 in) |
| Beam | 12.2 m (40 ft 0 in) |
| Draught | 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) |
| Decks | 1 |
| Propulsion | 2 diesel engines @ 6,865 hp (5,119 kW) with 4 waterjet propulsors by MARI |
| Speed | 42 knots (78 km/h; 48 mph) |
| Complement | 12[4] |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Armament |
|
| Notes | Details remain speculative |
Design
The Type 22 fast attack craft are China's entry into a growing list of missile-armed attack craft which include Finland's Hamina class missile boat, and Norway's Skjold class patrol boat. The wave-piercing catamaran design may mean as much as a 50% reduction in vessel speed penalty in high sea conditions (in which monohulls may only perform at half or less of their maximum capability). Further, seasickness and disorientation is significantly reduced, improving the combat readiness/situational awareness of the small-craft operators during such conditions.
The polygonal-designed superstructure with its similarly angled gun mount indicates a reduced radar cross-section, but built out of aluminium rather than composites. The Type 22 has an advanced C4 datalink[4] that may represent some kind of capability to allow AWACS planes or other ships to vector the Type 22's missiles. The aluminium hull is reported to use friction stir welding.[8]
See also
References
External links
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