It's amazing listening to clueless people bitching about lack of ASW ships in PLAN. Take a look at the expected surface ships of PLAN in 2020. All ships except the amphibious vessels are capable of ASW, including the carriers with their Z-8 ASW. But only the area air defense ships 052C/052D/055 are capable of area air defense, and of course only the carriers can provide long range area air defense as well as long range strike capability.

Let me add that the PLAN construction speed up is just beginning. In the next five to ten years, don't be surprise if the above doubled. It's quite simple, it all depend on whether the Taiwan situation will intensify or tone down.

Coming back to 054A, while operating independently, perhaps each 054A will carry 24 HQ-16B + 8 Yu-8 ASROC. But when operating under a CBG, they're responsible for ASW, the area air defense is covered by 052C/052D/055, so perhaps each will carry 8 HQ-16B + 24 Yu-8 ASROC.

One thing I observed is, it seem 054A construction is coming to an end. Only one launched in 2018 compared to three 055， three 052DG，ten 056A, two 071 that year. This year is there any new 054A? Where is 054B? Will there ever be one? I wonder is the 054A + 052C/052D combo going to be replaced by 052DG + 055 combo.

I'm including the 054 because they're currently undergoing refit. Perhaps like the 051B, replacing the HHQ-7 with HHQ-16, and the four 630 with two 730, bring them up to the 054A standard.