The Type 055-class destroyer, whose NATO reporting name is the Renhai-class, is the biggest surface
combatant of the People's Liberation Army Navy, simply the Chinese Navy. Due to its
dimensions and capabilities, the USA classifies the ship as a cruiser. Certainly, this class
of ships have increased China's blue-water combat capability significantly and affected
the balance in the region. As the Weapon Detective, we are investigating the capabilities of the
Type 055-class and what it means. Please don't forget to subscribe to our channel,
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our channel. The Type 055-class is one of the most important
surface combatants in the Asia Pacific. At least on paper, this cruiser-like destroyer
has the potential that could affect the balance in the region. To better understand the Type
055-class, let's take a brief look at the Chinese long-term and dedicated indigenous
warship development programme. Although many sources mention that the history
of the Type 055-class destroyers goes back to the 1970s, it was not a real need for the
Chinese Navy to have such a surface combatant at the time. Also, the technological capability
of China was insufficient. Therefore, Beijing terminated the programme after a while.
The real process that allowed us to see a large and powerful warship such as the Type
055-class began in the 1990s. Just before the new millennium, the Chinese
Navy realized that it had to transform in such a way as to protect the global commercial
sealines expanding in parallel with the developing economy of the country.
Before the 1990s, the Type 051-class, whose NATO reporting name is Luda-class, was the
backbone of the destroyer fleet of the Chinese Navy.
These ships had been designed based on the Soviet Neustrashimy-class.
The Type 051-class did not have air defence missiles and real blue-water combat capability.
Its range was only 5,500 kilometres, in other words, 2,970 nautical miles.
Only one ship of this class, Jinan, was modified to carry helicopters for anti-submarine warfare
missions and over the horizon targeting. China is still keeping two Type 051-class
destroyers, but they are inactive. China took its first step towards blue-water
with the Type 052-class, whose NATO reporting name is Luhu-class. The Chinese Navy commissioned
two destroyers of this class in 1994 and 1996. Unlike the predecessor, which had been equipped
with the Soviet-based subsystems, these destroyers have the French-made radars and fire-control
systems, as well as the US-made gas turbines. These ships have short-range air defence missiles
and aviation facilities. The Type 052-class is about 1,200 tons heavier
than the Type 051-class, and it can reach almost twice the range.
The second step of China was Shenzhen, which was commissioned in 1999. Defined as the Type
051B-class, this destroyer features 6,100 tons of fully loaded displacement and the
capability of launching short-range air defence missiles.
Later, the HQ-9 launcher of the ship, whose NATO reporting name is Luhai-class, has been
replaced with a vertical launching system that holds the mid-range HQ-16s.
Shenzhen has a range of 23,000 kilometres, in other words, 12,420 nautical miles.
While China continued the programme, in 1999, it began to acquire the surplus Project 956-EM-class
destroyers from Russia as an intermediate solution. The NATO reporting name is of these
destroyers Sovremenny-class. Because during the 1995 Third Taiwan Strait
Crisis, The Chinese Navy realized that its area air defence capability was critically
insufficient. Until 2005, four Project 956-EM-class destroyers,
which have mid-range air defence missiles, were commissioned.
After this setback, in 2014, China continued the domestic surface combatant design and
building program mewith two Type 052B-class, whose NATO reporting name is Luyang I-class.
These ships feature a stealthy hull and significantly improved air defence systems. With the Type
052B-class, the Chinese Navy started to cause real concern in the surrounding seas.
These two destroyers are equipped with two single-arm missile launchers, one at the bow
and one at the aft. They can launch the 3S90 mid-range air defence missiles, whose NATO
reporting name is SA-N-12 Grizzly. As the next step, two Type 051C-class, whose
NATO reporting name is Luzhou-class, destroyers were commissioned in 2006 and 2007. They are
equipped with the Russian-made S-300F long-range air defence missiles, whose NATO reporting
name is SA-N-20. The successor of the Type 051C-class is the
Type 052C-class. It is the more suitable surface combatant for modern naval warfare requirements
with the Type 346 active electronically scanned array radar and the domestically designed
HHQ-9 long-range air defence missiles. Thanks to six destroyers of this class, whose NATO
reporting name is Luyang II-class, the Chinese Navy has gained area air defence capability.
The next step was the Type 052D-class, whose NATO reporting name is Luyang III-class. These
destroyers are the larger variant of the Type 052C-class.
The Type 052D-class has a flat-panelled active electronically scanned array radar.
The previous Type 052C-class has a revolver-type vertical launching system, which is only suitable
for air defence missiles. Yet, the Type 052D-class is equipped with
a canister-type vertical launching system. So, it can launch various types of missiles
from its launchers. This feature makes the Type 052D-class China's
first dedicated multi-role destroyer. In terms of their capability and design, many sources
refer to these ships of this class as the Chinese Aegis destroyers and the true answer
of the US Arleigh Burke-class. The Type 055-class is the latest step of this
adventure. Actually, it is more than a destroyer. This multi-mission surface combatant has highly
effective area air defence, anti-surface warfare, land-attack, and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
As the flagship, it can provide command and control service to the task forces. The US
Navy staff expects the Type 055s to fulfil a similar role as the Ticonderoga-class cruisers.
An image emerged of a full-scale mock-up superstructure of the Type 055-class at the Chinese naval
electronic testing range in Wuhan was published in 2014.
All previous Chinese built destroyers have a conventional mast design.
The Type 055-class has an enclosed integrated mast for radar and other electronics. So,
China was testing this new design while it started to build the hull of the first destroyer,
Nanchang. She was launched on June 28, 2017, and commissioned
on January 12, 2020. But, before she was commissioned, Nanchang
participated in the 70th-anniversary parade of the Chinese Navy on April 23, 2019.
The second and third ships, Lhasa and Dalian, were commissioned this year.
Five additional destroyers of the same class have already been launched.
The complement of the Type 055-class is over 300-person. The destroyer has a length of
180 metres, a beam of 20 metres, and a draught of 6.6 metres. Its full loaded displacement
is about 12 to 13,000 tons. Four 38,000-horsepower QC-280 gas turbines in COGAG configuration
provide 30 knots maximum speed. The range of the ship is 9,300 kilometres, in other
words, 5,000 nautical miles. The destroyer can fire the HHQ-9 air defence, YJ-18 anti-ship,
CJ-10 cruise, and Yu-8 anti-submarine missiles from its 112-cell vertical launching system.
The Type 055-class is also equipped with a 130mm gun, a 30mm 11-barrel close-in weapon
system, and a close defence missile system. The continuous structure amidship of the Type
055-class increases internal volume and reduces radar cross-section. As a stealth ship, the
destroyer has very low radar, noise, infrared, and electromagnetic radiation signatures.
To ensure stealth, the anchoring and mooring equipment are placed inside the ship. The
fully loaded displacement of the Type 055-class is higher than its predecessors. This feature
provides better seaworthiness and the capability of carrying more ammunition, fuel, and supplies.
Thus, the destroyer can perform operations for a longer time without replenishment. The
spacious interior of the Type 055-class also provides great flexibility for possible future
modernizations and improvements. In addition to the four QC-280 gas turbines, the ship
has six 6,705 horsepower QD-50 auxiliary gas turbines.
The aircraft carriers have to maintain a certain speed to be able to launch their aircraft.
With its 30-knot maximum speed, the Type 055-class can easily escort the Chinese aircraft carriers,
Liaoning and Shandong. The most striking flaw in the boat is that
the upper deck is made of aluminium, which is likely to burn if hit. This is a factor
that reduces the survivability of the Type 055-class.
The Type 055-class has four H/LJG-346B active electronically scanned array radar panels.
It is highly resistant to jamming. Unlike the previous variants that use an air cooling
system, the B version of the radar is supported with a higher performance water cooling system.
The main S-band array of the radar is sandwiched between two rows of X-band arrays.
Some sources claim that while the X-band arrays are effective in detecting stealth air and
surface targets, the S-band array of the H/LJG-346B may be insufficient to lock missiles onto
these types of targets. The low positioning of the flat-array radar
panels on the Type 055-class is another handicap. This position reduces the radar’s range.
The primary armament of the destroyer are missiles carried in 112 universal vertical
launch cells. Different from the Russian-made models, the vertical launching system of the
Type 055-class is not rotary. Eliminating the rotary mechanism makes the system simpler
and increases the missile launch speed. The destroyer is equipped with the YJ-18 anti-ship
missiles for anti-surface warfare. This missile can reach 220 to 540 kilometres range. During
the midcourse phase, the YJ-18 cruises at the speed of Mach 0.8. It increases its speed
to Mach 2.5 to 3 during the terminal phase. The Type 055-class is also equipped with the
HHQ-9A long-range missiles for area air defence. On paper, this missile has an effective range
of between 20 metres to 120 kilometres. But the real maximum effective range of the HHQ-9A
is about 40 to 50 kilometres. Like other long-range air defence missiles, after exceeding this
distance, its effect begins to drop geometrically. Depending on the operational requirements,
the HQ-16 mid-range air defence missiles can also be deployed to the universal vertical
launch systems of the Type 055-class. However, the Chinese Navy has not officially declared
the use of these missiles within the standard equipment of the ship.
Again, thanks to universal vertical launch systems, the destroyer can be equipped with
the HQ-26 anti-ballistic missiles in the future. This missile is currently under development.
The CJ-10 cruise missiles with a 500-kilogram warhead and a range of 1,500 kilometres give
the ship the precision land-attack capability. This missile has a sharp tip designed to reduce
radar cross-section. The 130mm single barrel H/PJ-38 gun, also
known as the H/PJ-45, has a maximum range of about 30 kilometres and a rate of 40 rounds
per minute. It is effective against both land, air and surface targets.
Some sources claim that H/PJ-38 will be replaced by an electromagnetic railgun or laser weapon
in the future. However, probably the next destroyer of China, the Type 055A-class, will
have these types of weapons. Because the power output of the Type 055-class is insufficient
for them, it requires extensive modifications. The ship has one 30mm 11-barrel H/PJ-11 gun
and one HQ-10 missile system as the close-in weapon systems.
The Chinese sources claim that the H/PJ-11 can intercept incoming anti-ship missiles
up to a speed of Mach 4 with a 96 per cent success rate, and the HQ-10 can intercept
23 targets one after another in a salvo. But, these claims are overly optimistic.
Besides the torpedo tubes, the destroyer can fire the Yu-8 anti-submarine warfare missile
from its vertical launching systems, which carries the APR-3E lightweight torpedo.
Thanks to its large hanger and landing platform, the ship can operate two helicopters. Today,
the Type 055-class carries lightweight Z-9Cs. But, soon, heavyweight Z-18Fs, which have
nearly twice patrol endurance, will replace them. Also, Z-18F can carry four lightweight
torpedoes instead of two. The Type 055-class has similar capabilities
and firepower to the Russian Project 1164-class, whose NATO reporting name is Slava-class,
and the US Ticonderoga-class cruisers. China launched eight Type 055-class destroyers
in three years. It has also built a huge number of other types of surface combatants like
frigates, different class destroyers, corvettes, and even amphibious assault ships and an aircraft
carrier during this time. This is an important show of strength. Today,
no country other than China has enough economic and industrial capacity to build so many naval
ships in such a short time. The unit cost of the Type 055-class is significantly
lower than the US Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The USA spends about 1.84 billion US dollars
per ship, while China pays only 850 million US dollars.
At first glance, we may say that if you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.
But, we should consider the factor that the labour force in China is cheap. The costs
of all Chinese employees in a shipyard may be the same as a single American high-rank
engineer or executive salary. Also, while the private US companies desire
to make more profit, the state-owned Chinese firms have a minimum profit margin.
This is one of the major factors, which makes the Chinese destroyer more economical.
Yes, the Type 055-class is so powerful. Still, the highly capable US, Japanese and
South Korean destroyers are patrolling the area. And they are also so powerful.
So, the Type 055-class cannot dominate the region. It can only bring the balance to some
degree. Different from the Arleigh Burke, Kongō,
Atago, Maya, and Sejong the Great class destroyers, the Type 055-class can be used as an effective
flagship of a task force. From this point of view, it is not wrong for
the US Navy to classify them as cruisers. However, it should not be forgotten that there
is a political reason for both parties to make different definitions. The USA seeks
to make China look more aggressive by calling the Type 055-class a cruiser, while China
classifies them as a destroyer and tries to look less aggressive.
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