Bangladesh Navy Receives Two Multirole Corvettes From China

Bangladesh has received two corvettes that are able to detect, identify and assault targets at sea and in air from China.

The two corvettes built by Chinese Wuchang Shipbuilding Industry Group Co Ltd (WS), a subsidiary of China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC) were delivered to the Bangladesh Navy last Friday, Chinamil reported Monday.

The corvettes can launch anti-surface attack, and will become the key warships of the Bangladesh Navy in the future. They will be set for service immediately after the delivery.

The corvettes have a displacement of 1300 tons and are 90 meter long and 11 meter wide. They have a maximum speed of 25.5 knots and a sailing range of up to 2000 nautical miles.

In addition to anti-aircraft, anti-ship and anti-surface attack capabilities, the corvettes are also capable of maritime monitoring, patrol, protecting maritime rights and interests, search and rescue, and can serve in tropical regions as well.

The Bangladesh Navy has assigned a surveillance team in the beginning of the project.

Corvette is a kind of small surface combat warship, but the new-type corvettes China exported this time boasts strong firepower as good as that of large warships.

In addition to the main gun, the corvette is also equipped with two 30mm secondary artilleries, four ship-to-ship missiles and eight ship-to-air ones, meeting the land, sea and air attack/defense needs for short, medium and long range. Thus, such firepower is enough to deter a modern fleet.

The ship-to-air missile weapon system equipped on the exported corvette is called "Feilong 3000", which can work in conjunction with search and tracking radar. It can search, warn and track multiple air targets, and work with the naval gun system to carry out coordinated strike against multiple air targets, the news daily quoted Zhu Xuejun, chief designer of the corvettes for Bangladesh as saying.