Type 22 missile boat
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The Type 22 (NATO designation: Houbei class)[1] 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.[2] 82 of these missile boats are currently in service with three flotillas having been produced over a span of seven years,[3] operating in squadrons of eight vessels each.[4]
As of 2025, the Type 22 missile boat is the fastest ship class in service with the People's Liberation Army Navy.[5]
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 wave-piercing 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, but built out of aluminium rather than composites. The Type 22 has an advanced C4 datalink[6] 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]
The Type 22 missile boat is capable of a 360 degrees turn on the spot.[5]
Purpose
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The Type 22 missile boat's main purpose is to employ hit and run tactics by rapidly firing all of it's 8 YJ-83 missiles and quickly escaping.[5]
See also
- Kuang Hua VI-class missile boat
- Skjold class patrol boat
- Hamina class missile boat
- Roussen Class fast attack craft
- Type 021 class missile boat
- Tuo Chiang-class corvette
References
- Notes
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- ↑ This is What a Chinese Stealth Warship Looks Like on Radar. USNI News. 27 September 2021.
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- ↑ 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.
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- Sources
- Watts, Anthony J. Jane's Warship Recognition Guide. Template:ISBN
External links
- Houbei Class (Type 022) Fast Attack Craft
- IDEX 2007 Showcases China’s Productive Weapons Sector
- 武汉华之洋光电系统有限责任公司/Wuhan Naval Electro-Optics Company
- AMD Marine Consulting AMD350PB Design
- Chinese Type 22 Missile Boat
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