China-made 3,000-ton frigate.(Photo provided to People's Daily Online)

A frigate designed and manufactured by China Shipbuilding Industry Group was officially delivered to the customer on July 12. So far, three ships from the project have all been successfully delivered.

The frigate was the third combat ship constructed for a North African country. The first two were delivered respectively on August 15, 2014 and January 26, 2016.

The frigate is 120 meters in length, with a full load displacement of about 3,000 tons. Compared to previous exported military ships, the new frigate has increased tonnage and more interior space. The shipbuilding company applied new standards during the research and development phase, and new installation techniques and equipment were also used during construction. The frigate is designed not only to meet the demands of coastal defense, but also to carry out long-range combat missions at sea.

The frigate has set several news records in tonnage, fire and combat capability for exported Chinese military ships. These advances reflect the maturation of China's shipbuilding industry, including electronic weapons system capabilities that have reached international levels. From all appearances, the successful construction of this latest frigate is only the beginning of China's expanded influence in military ship trade around the world.  

China-made 3,000-ton frigate. (Photo provided to People's Daily Online)