Japan Spots Type 054B Luohe in Liaoning Group, Marking Frigate's 1st Far-Seas Deployment
Updated
Updated · Global Times · May 27
Japan Spots Type 054B Luohe in Liaoning Group, Marking Frigate's 1st Far-Seas Deployment
7 articles · Updated · Global Times · May 27
Five PLA Navy ships led by carrier Liaoning were tracked in the Western Pacific on Monday, with Japan saying the Type 054B frigate Luohe was operating inside the formation.
Tuesday sightings also included Liaoning flight operations, while Japan said Luohe and a Type 901 replenishment ship had already transited the Miyako Strait on May 19.
Luohe's appearance would be the frigate class's first publicly known far-seas training mission since the ship entered service in January 2025, according to Chinese military expert Zhang Junshe.
Zhang said the roughly 5,000-ton Type 054B strengthens the carrier group's escort, anti-submarine and outer-layer air-defense roles, complementing larger Type 055 destroyers in a high-low combat mix.
The deployment fits the PLA Navy's May 19 announcement that Liaoning had sailed to the Western Pacific for routine drills including tactical flight, live firing, support and search-and-rescue training.
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Type 054B Frigate Luohe Joins Liaoning Carrier Strike Group: A New Era for China's Blue-Water Navy in the Western Pacific
Overview
In May 2026, China’s navy reached a new milestone by deploying its advanced Type 054B frigate, the Luohe, for the first time in the Western Pacific. The Luohe quickly joined the Liaoning carrier strike group, which passed through the important Miyako Strait, highlighting China’s growing naval strength and strategic reach in the region. Notably, the Luohe had entered service just a year earlier, showing how rapidly China can bring new warships into frontline operations. This swift integration signals China’s increasing ability to project power and maintain a strong presence far from its shores.