China may quietly pack 50% more missiles onto Type 054B naval frigate

China may quietly pack 50% more missiles onto Type 054B naval frigate

China may be preparing a more heavily armed version of its Type 054B frigate, potentially giving the warship 50 percent more missile launch capacity than the first ships in the class. The change would raise the vessel’s vertical launch system capacity from 32 cells to as many as 48. That could give the frigate greater staying power during missile attacks and more flexibility when carrying different weapons. Satellite imagery from US intelligence…