A Type 054B frigate with the hull number 555 is seen in a poster released by the official WeChat account of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) South Sea Fleet on April 12, 2025. Photo: Screenshot from the WeChat account of the PLA South Sea Fleet

The second Type 054B frigate of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy appeared in a recent poster released by the PLA South Sea Fleet, shortly after the commissioning of the first ship of its class in January. An expert said on Sunday that the second hull, likely to be deployed in the South China Sea, will allow the ship type to adapt to different maritime environments before entering possible mass production.

The official WeChat account of the PLA South Sea Fleet released a set of posters as part of a vote celebrating the upcoming 76th founding anniversary of the PLA Navy on April 23, and one of the posters featured a Type 054B frigate with the hull number 555.

It appears to be the official debut of Warship 555 as the PLA Navy's second Type 054B frigate.

As shown in the poster, the Warship 555 was fully dressed, with crew members lined up on the starboard side of the ship. The vessel appears nearly identical to the first Type 054B frigate, the Warship 545 Luohe, except the hull number.

The poster did not provide further information about the picture, such as the date, location, or the name of Warship 555.

The first Type 054B frigate, Luohe, (hull number 545) was commissioned at a naval port in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province on January 22, the Xinhua News Agency reported at the time.

With a displacement of approximately 5,000 tons, the Type 054B is a new generation of frigate independently developed and constructed by China. It has made breakthroughs in vessel stealth technology, combat command systems and firepower integrated control, among other aspects, significantly enhancing its performance, according to Xinhua.

The ship possesses robust combat capabilities and versatile mission adaptability, contributing significantly to improving the overall combat effectiveness of naval warship formations. It is a key asset for the transformation and development of the Chinese navy, according to Xinhua.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times that the Type 054B frigate is developed from its predecessor, the Type 054A, featuring a larger displacement and extended range. It is a far seas-capable frigate.

The first hull of the Type 054B, commissioned in Qingdao, is affiliated with the PLA North Sea Fleet, while the second hull is unveiled by the PLA South Sea Fleet. This suggests that the two Type 054B frigates may be deployed in distinct maritime regions, the first hull in locations like the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, and the second in the South China Sea, Zhang said, noting that this will allow the new ship type to accumulate experiences and generate combat capabilities faster.

The first Type 054B frigate has begun conducting training exercises in the Yellow Sea, according to a China Central Television report in March.

Once adequate data has been collected, China can mass produce the Type 054B, described as both technologically advanced and cost-effective, Zhang said. They can accompany aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, boosting the PLA Navy's combat capabilities in far seas, the expert said.

Responding to the Type 054B frigate's launch in 2023, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of National Defense, said at a regular press conference in August 2023 that it is a normal arrangement addressing national security needs and the overall naval trend of the PLA Navy developing equipment including main combat vessels according to related plans.

The goal is to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests, and contribute to world and regional peace and stability, Wu said, noting that China always follows a path of peaceful development, and unswervingly adheres to a national defense policy that is defensive in nature.