Type 22 missile boat

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] Approximately 83 of these missile boats are currently in service with three flotillas having been produced over a span of seven years.[1]

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 $14.3 million to $50 million per boat[1][2][3]
Built: 2004–present
In commission: 2004–present
Planned: 83
Completed: 83
Active: 83
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: 36 knots (67 km/h; 41 mph)
Complement: 12[4]
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Surface search radar: 1 Type 362
  • Navigational radar: 1
  • Electro-optics: HEOS 300
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 Australian AMD 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, although probably not enough to be a full stealth-ship as it is built from aluminium rather than composites, and also has a lot of reflective "clutter" in form of rails, searchlights and launchers on the deck.[3] 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 [7]

Capabilities
Type 22 Class in disruptive camouflage with cryptic coloration

The Type 22 is designed to patrol China's coastal areas and operate within its littoral zone. As each of the 83 ships is armed with eight anti-ship missiles, it is speculated by some observers that a large number of missile craft firing in salvos can potentially overwhelm an enemy fleet, including an aircraft carrier battle group. Although an offensive missile attack poses a threat to hostile surface ships, historically small missile boats have fared poorly in major naval confrontations against larger vessels and aircraft, so the Type 22 is vulnerable when operating outside of air defense cover.[1]

See also

References
Notes
  1. Axe, David (August 4, 2011). "China Builds Fleet of Small Warships While U.S. Drifts". Wired.com. Retrieved 2012-02-04.
  2. "China's Project 022 Fast Attack Craft". defencetalk.com.
  3. "Information Dissemination: Janes Discusses Chinese Streetfighter". informationdissemination.net.
  4. Catamarans Glide Through Chinese Waters
  5. "HJB 394-2007 22型导弹快艇规范". 国家标准行业标准信息服务网. 2007-04-30.
  6. "China's Houbei class fast-speed missile boats". China Daily Mail.
  7. Fred Delany, Stephan W Kallee, Mike J Russell: Friction Stir Welding of Aluminium Ships, Paper presented at 2007 International Forum on Welding Technologies in the Shipping Industry (IFWT). Held in conjunction with the Beijing Essen Welding and Cutting Fair in Shanghai, 16–19 June 2007.
Sources
  • Watts, Anthony J. Jane's Warship Recognition Guide. ISBN 978-0-06-084992-4
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