New Chinese FAC supposedly in serial production

[Number1azn365]

Im not sure if you guys have seen this new FAC, but it looks pretty good. There has been photographs of the 2208, and now another photograph of another FAC being built. Anyone know if they will be producing more and how many? When i first saw this FAC i thought it would be a prototype but guess i was wrong. Any other information would also be appreciated.

Here is the 2208

And the other one.

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[highsea]

There are a couple threads here on this, do a search and you will find them. I think this is the first pic I think I've seen with it actually moving.

What makes you say it's in serial production? Sinodefence mentions only the one boat, the second set of pictures look to be earlier pics of the same boat.

http://www.sinodefence.com/navy/littoral/2208.asp

 

[Number1azn365]

The new boat is "this one being built in Guangzhou"

The link is www.centurychina.com/plaboard just scroll down a few until u see "More 2208-type stealth FAC under construction"

If they are building more it would be pretty incredible. The FAC looks like it would be a big step for China tech wise.

 

[highsea]

2208 FAC

Why would they build one boat in one shipyard and the second one in a different yard? The company that built the 2208 had previous experience in the same design of craft for civilian use. When a yard builds a boat like this, they have lots of special tooling, molds, jigs, etc. Usually if more than one boat is planned, they are built concurrently, with the second boat about 50% behind the first. This allows the molds, jigs, dies, etc. to be used sequentially.

Plus, the first pictures I saw of this boat several months back had the numbers covered up, the same as the pics you posted (I am almost positive they were the same pictures). I scanned back to the earlier threads, but the links are no longer functional.

IIRC, 2208 was launched in Arpil 2004. Typically a boat of this class would take 18-24 months to build once the design details were sorted out. A yard building 2 at a time could roll them out at the rate of one per year (or slightly better) if they were built concurrently (side by side in the same building).

It doesn't make sense that one would be built in Shanghai, then 6 months later another one would come out of a different yard. That's just not a practical way to build boats of this type. jmo.

I'm not saying it's impossible, if the PLAN has decided to put 8 or 10 of these in service in 2 years, they would need more than one yard. But why would they do that without first testing the concept?

 

[Pathfinder-X]

Re: 2208 FAC

Could it be the shipyard cannot handle the orders by PLAN? Those guys are desperate to get their hands on any advanced vessels. When they constructed the Houjian class missile boat they also built it in 3 different shipyard.

 

[Number1azn365]

Pathfinder-X could be right on this. Chinese will want to produce this FAC as quickly as possible. Maybe they will mass produce and make 30 or more. I still haven't seen any pictures of FAC with their missiles, Has Anyone seen them?

 

[highsea]

Re: 2208 FAC

It's possible, Path.

The Houjian class has the builder listed as Huangpu Shipyard, Guangzhou on sinodefence. It's also a much more conventional design than a wave piercing Cat. The hulls may have been built in one yard and then separated for fitting out, machinery installations, etc.

I am still reserving my judgement on this one till I see more evidence.

 

[Red aRRow]

What do you guys think the two "humps" at the rear are for??
I am guessing these catamarans are twin engined so maybe a little bit of the engine bits and pieces in each hump....however they are quite large to be just for engine rooms IMHO.
Do you guys think VLS for anti ship missiles could be housed in there?

Sorry I am a quite a novice when it comes to naval vessels and probably my questions attest to that fact...however I have to ask someone


P.S. Nice pics Number1azn365.... Me likey new FAC. :

 

[ajay_ijn]

Watching those pics At first I thought they were completely stealthy Ships like US Sea shadow.
US sea Shadow looks somewhat like this ship.
Rather than having Stealthy frigates,Stealthy Missile boats are more useful.
If they can be armed with Sunburn's Missiles then it will add deadly punch to that Ship and perfectly suited for Chinese offensive Strategy.

 

[tatra]

What do you guys think the two "humps" at the rear are for??
I am guessing these catamarans are twin engined so maybe a little bit of the engine bits and pieces in each hump....however they are quite large to be just for engine rooms IMHO.
Do you guys think VLS for anti ship missiles could be housed in there?

Sorry I am a quite a novice when it comes to naval vessels and probably my questions attest to that fact...however I have to ask someone


P.S. Nice pics Number1azn365.... Me likey new FAC. :

Uhm that;s where the anti-ship missiles are housed. 2x2 or 2x4

Some have suggested the humps in 2209 differ fron those in 2208. Any suggestions?

 

[highsea]

What do you guys think the two "humps" at the rear are for??
I am guessing these catamarans are twin engined so maybe a little bit of the engine bits and pieces in each hump....however they are quite large to be just for engine rooms IMHO.
Do you guys think VLS for anti ship missiles could be housed in there?

There is plenty of room within the hulls for the propulsion systems. They need to be mounted low to keep the shaft angles shallow (whether prop or water jet). Judging by the top picture, it looks like a water jet drive.

I would say the aft superstructures house ASCM's.

 

[gf0012-aust]

What do you guys think the two "humps" at the rear are for??

They're housings for missiles - current view is that they are anti-shipping.

I am guessing these catamarans are twin engined so maybe a little bit of the engine bits and pieces in each hump....however they are quite large to be just for engine rooms IMHO.

It's powered by water jets - 4 of them. The vessel would not be sitting in the water like that if they were conventionals.

Do you guys think VLS for anti ship missiles could be housed in there?

No, the real estate on that boat is pretty maxed out.

 

[highsea]

Some have suggested the humps in 2209 differ fron those in 2208. Any suggestions?

I can see no differences of any kind. Right down to the antennas and air intakes, running lights, etc. I think the pictures are all of the same boat.

 

[gf0012-aust]

Personally, even though it's a "sexy" looking vessel I think there are some capability restrictions.

From the size of the housings, they would appear to be for large ASM's. Now unless they are combination cannisters, then they don't have any IADS apart from the main gun.

It's basically 1967 Israeli technology on a 21st century hull. The whole reason for organic rotor air being fitted with Hellfires, Penguins and Sea Skuas was to take out these small high speed patrol vessels.

Everyone learnt that lesson after the Israelis developed and demonstrated the concept.

It's a defensive platform that would not survive on the open sea. If you compare it to Singapores small patrol vessels it is not in the same league.

In the military it's what we call a "slash and dash" platform.

Nice concept - bad balance - and definitely 1980's doctrine if those "cans" are single solutions. (They're also too big to be useful for IADS unless they're sleeved)

I would not want to be a commander on that vessel if a Lynx popped up with a couple of Penguins or if a Predator did a top down attack with Hellfires.

 

[webmaster]

Nice pics Number1azn365! There was another thread with some old pictures of this same vessel and it was posted by another chinese member. See if someone can find it in the military images!

 

[highsea]

It was this thread, Webs, but the picture links are now broken.

http://defencetalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1658

I already looked because I wanted to compare the pics...

edit to add: there are also some pics on this thread:

http://defencetalk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3056

 

[Number1azn365]

Well guys i have another picture of the supposedly "second FAC" look at the red box. This does look different from the first 2208 FAC.
Give me some explantions on what this is.

 

[highsea]

Number1azn365, it's impossible to say what that is for sure, the pictures are just not that good. I will give you my best guess, though, and why I think so.

If you look at the the bow of the vessel, and the position of the hawse pipe for the anchor, you can tell there is no space below deck for ground tackle. There is a high bulwark in the bow, the actual deck level is the scupper line (where the 4 long scuppers are). You see the two round hawsepipes for the docking lines, they are above the deck level.

If you look at the picture below, you can see that the item circled in your picture actually sits on deck (on centerline). In other words, in your picture the item is sitting on a pallet or something, it is not installed yet. I think it is a drum style anchor winch enclosed in a housing. It's the right size, and it's position on the foredeck would be the right spot for an anchor winch.

If you look at the first pictures in the thread, you can make out the top of the housing just above the bulwark. So it's not a piece of equipment that is not in the other pictures, it's just hasn't been mounted in it's final position.

 

[Number1azn365]

Yeah i had speculation that the thing didn't belong there. Thanks for the information, I'll keep updating as more pictures and information comes in.

-Eddie-

 

[webmaster]

Don't forget to upload them to the gallery if you can.