Naresuan-class frigate

The Naresuan-class frigate (Thai: ชุดเรือหลวงนเรศวร) is an enlarged modified version of the Chinese-made Type 053 frigate with Western weaponry, cooperatively designed by the Royal Thai Navy and China but built by the China State Shipbuilding Corporation in Shanghai. The ships came at 2 billion baht each, less than the 8 billion baht claimed price tag for Western-built frigates.

HTMS Naresuan (FFG 421)
Class overview
Builders	China State Shipbuilding Corporation, Shanghai
Operators	Royal Thai Navy
Preceded by	Phutthayotfa Chulalok class
Succeeded by	Bhumibol Adulyadej class
Subclasses	Type 053 frigate
Built	1991–1995
In commission	1994–present
Completed	2
Active	2
General characteristics
Type	Frigate
Displacement	2,985 tons full load
Length	120.5 m
Beam	13.7 m
Draught	6 m
Propulsion	2 × General Electric LM2500 gas turbines and 2 × MTU 20V1163 TB83 diesel engines, driving two shafts with controllable pitch propellers in CODOG configuration
Speed	32 knots (59 km/h) max
Range	4000 nmi (7408 km) at 18 kn
Complement	150
Sensors and processing systems	Saab Sea Giraffe AMD 3D surveillance radar Thales LW08 long range search radar Raytheon AN/SPS-64 Navigation radar Selex IFF SIT422CI&M425 Saab 9LV Mk 4 with Saab TIDLS combat management system 2 × Saab CEROS 200 Fire Control Radar Atlas DSQS-24d sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys	ESM ITT ES-3601 (AN/SLQ-4) ECM Type 984-1 noise jammer & Type 981-3 deception jammer Decoys Terma SKWS (C-Guard)
Armament	1 × 5 in/54 (127 mm) Mk 45 Mod 2 naval gun 2 × 30mm MSI-DSL DS30MR automated small calibre gun 8 cell Mk.41 VLS for 32 x RIM-162 ESSM 8 × RGM-84 Harpoon SSM launcher 2 × Triple Mark 32 Mod 5 torpedo tubes
Aircraft carried	1 × Super Lynx 300

Ships in the class

Name	Number	Builder	Launched	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
HTMS Naresuan	421	China State Shipbuilding Corporation	July 1993	15 December 1994		Active
HTMS Taksin	422	China State Shipbuilding Corporation	1994	28 September 1995		Active

Upgrade

On 3 June 2011, Saab announced that it was awarded a contract for the upgrading of the two Naresuan-class frigates. The scope of the upgrade will include Saab's 9LV MK4 combat management system, Sea Giraffe AMB, CEROS 200 fire control radar, EOS 500 electro-optics system and data link systems for communications with the newly acquired Royal Thai Air Force Erieye surveillance aircraft.

External links

Media related to Naresuan Class Frigates at Wikimedia Commons