A gas turbine is judged more straightforward to mount quietly for anti-submarine work, though that does not make every aspect of the installation easier. The Type 054 family instead uses combined diesel and diesel propulsion, credited with efficient range for operations in the South China Sea and wider Pacific. The machinery choice balances patrol and presence duties with acoustic performance. New equipment usually reaches the destroyer force first and then moves into the frigates, giving them access to systems already tried within the fleet.
Notable Point · 5:30-7:23
The Type 054's diesel propulsion tradeoff
Combined diesel and diesel machinery is weighed against acoustic demands and the range needed for Chinese patrols.