Context: Recently, China has launched first of the four advanced naval warships it is building for Pakistan.

• This is the first ship of Type-054 class frigate.
• The Type-054A is roughly the same size as the Indian Navy's existing Talwar class of frigates, purchased from Russia

Key Points
Comparing with Talwar Class

• Size and Dimensions: The Type-054A and Talwar class displace approximately 4,000 tonnes and have a length of around 130 metres.
• Stealth Level: Both classes, designed the 1990s, have features to reduce their radar and infra-red signatures.

Missile System

• The Type-054A uses a surface-to-air missile system called the HQ-16, which experts claim is derived from the Russian Shtil missile, already in service on the Talwar class frigates.
• Type-054A has an advantage over the existing Talwar class ships as the former uses a vertical launch system (VLS).
• The vertical launch system allows the launch of multiple missiles simultaneously.
• Talwar class frigates use an older 'single-arm' launcher that can fire only one missile at a time.
• The Talwar class ships use the supersonic club and Brahmos missiles, and are regarded to have better anti-ship capabilities than the Type-054A class.
• Radar: The HQ-16, which relies on 'passive' radar to detect targets, is considered inferior to the new Indo-Israeli Barak-8 missile.
• The relatively small size of the Type-054AP frigates means there is little scope to mount heavier radars and longer-range anti-aircraft or anti-ship weapons.
• While the new Type-054AP frigates will be the most capable ships in the Pakistan Navy, they are not expected to significantly alter the balance of power in the region, given Pakistan's limitations in airborne anti-submarine capabilities.