Sunday, January 12, 2014

China Sold Two Frigates Each To Burma & Bangladesh


Two Chinese frigates decommissioned and sold to Bangladesh.
Two decommissioned Frigates of Chinese Navy (PLA-N) the FFG 535 Huangshi and 536 Wuhu received their new Bangladeshi navy pennant numbers of F15 and F17 just recently.

On Saturday, April 27, 2013 the China-Defense Blog posted following report of those two decommissioned frigates.

“Jianghu class FFG535 Huangshi and 536 Wuhu decommissioned today. Two Jianghu III class FFG completed their refit while being decommissioned at the same day -- this odd pattern adds credence to the rumor that they are being sold off to the Bangladeshi navy.   We will know soon enough.”
Formerly Chinese Navy's FFG 535 Huangshi re-born as Bangladeshi Frigate F-15.
Formerly Chinese Navy's FFG 536 Wuhu re-born as Bangladeshi Frigate F-17.
2012 Decommissioning ceremony of FFG 535 Huangshi and FFG 536 Wuhu.
On Monday, March 5, 2012 the China-Defense Blog also posted following report of another two decommissioned frigates sold to Burma Navy which rebadged the two as F-22 UMS Mahabandoola and F-23 UMS Mahathihathuya.

“Two Jianghu II class to Burma (Myanmar). In addition to the pending transfer of two Jianghus to the Bangladeshi navy, the China navy is also selling two of its "younger" Jianghu FFG to the Burma navy.   Since FFG 554 "Anshan" and FFG557 "Jishou" were build in 1986 and 1988, there should be a few years of service life left in them.

Most of the Burma navy are mounted with C-801/2 SSM,  I am sure the existing C-201 SSM will be removed in due course.

Now both navies are Jianghu equipped, it will be interesting to see if they ever face each other in battle.”
Two Jianghu Class Chinese frigates re-born as Burmese Navy frigates
F-22 UMS Mahabandoola and F-23 UMS Mahathihathuya.
On October 12, 2009 the China-Defense Blog also posted following report of naval standoff between Burma and Bangladesh both the recipients of two decommissioned Jianghu Class frigates each.

Burmese and Bangladeshi warships faced off across the Bay of Bengal on Monday as both nations built up naval and military forces along the border, according to a report in the Dhaka-based The Daily Star on Monday.

Quoting sources within the Bangladeshi armed forces, The Daily Star reported that Burma had on Sunday brought in heavy tanks, artillery guns, 12 warships and a frigate “as part of its preparation for a large-scale conflict with Bangladesh.”

The Bangladeshi daily said that according to a Bangladeshi naval official, Dhaka had reinforced its maritime border “in a bid to repulse a Myanmarese incursion by preparing 30 warships in Chittagong and Khulna.”

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni reportedly rejected reports about the heavy military build-up on the border at a press conference on Sunday, saying it is a routine movement of security personnel. However, the Bangladeshi daily cited several sources within the country’s defense services who suggested the Burmese regime was provoking a conflict.

A Bangladeshi frigate confronting Burmese oil rig guarded by Burmese navy ships.
The Irrawaddy was unable to independently confirm the reports with the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Meanwhile, news of the standoff has to date gone unreported in Burma’s state-run press.

Tensions between Burma and Bangladesh mounted last week after Burmese armed forces began erecting barbed wire fencing along its Bangladeshi border.

According to The Daily Star, the Burmese government had deployed nine light infantry battalions to the border region. However, Khaing Mrat Kyaw, an editor at the Dhaka-based Narinjara news agency, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that only five battalions had been moved into position by Oct 7.

Bangladesh and Burma share a 320-kilometer border, partly demarcated by the Naf River, a regular route for smuggling and illegal crossings.

Tin Soe, an editor for the Kaladan Press Network, based in Bangladesh, said that a border-based military officer told Bangladeshi journalists in Dhaka on Sunday: “We will solve this conflict through diplomatic channels. If we can’t solve it, we have to go to war, because we don’t want to lose an inch of land.”

Tin Soe said that the people living near the border are worried about the potential conflict because they fear the Burmese junta’s troops will bury a lot of landmines along the border.
Burmese-built  brand-new guided missile frigate F11 UMS Aungzeya.
(Burma Navy right now is outfitting F12 UMS Kyansitthar and building F13.)
Related posts at following links:
Heated Naval Arms Race Between Burma and Bangladesh
Military Build-ups Intensify on Burma-Bangladesh Border