China hands over two ex-PLAN frigates to Bangladesh Navy

Two Type 053H3 (Jiangwei II)-class frigates decommissioned by the China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) have been handed over to the Bangladesh Navy (BN).

The BN said in a statement that the 2,200-ton diesel-powered ships, formerly known as Jiaxing (pennant number 521) and Lianyungang (522), were transferred in a ceremony held on 18 December at the Shenjia Shipyard in Shanghai after being overhauled.

One of the two ex-PLAN Jiangwei II-class frigates that were formally handed over to the BN on 18 December. The ship shown here, formerly known as Lianyungang , was overhauled at the Shenjia Shipyard in Shanghai. (Via haohanfw.com)

The 112 m-long and 12.4 m-wide vessels, which will be renamed BNS Umer Farroq (also spelled Umar Farooq ) and BNS Abu Ubaidah once in BN service, were set to head to Bangladesh following the handover ceremony.

Pennant numbers F 16 and F 19 have been painted on the hulls of the ships, which can reach a top speed of 24 n miles, according to the BN.

According to Chinese media, the BN procured the two ex-PLAN frigates under a deal signed in June 2018.

In PLAN service the primary armament of the ships consisted of a twin 100 mm gun, eight YJ-83 anti-ship missiles fired from slant-mounted containerised launchers, an octuple launcher for HHQ-7 short-range surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), and four twin 37 mm gun mountings. None of these have been removed, although the YJ-83 and HHQ-7 systems may have been modified in line with the C-802A and FM-90N export versions, particularly with regard to the missiles supplied.

In September the BN signed a contract for two more Type 053H3 frigates, including ex- Putian