Razvoj kineskih razarača od Type 052 do Type 055.
We start with the Type 052 destroyer which I do not show here which was a relatively weak destroyer by the late 1990s standards. It had very weak anti-air defenses consisting of two Crotale/HHQ-7 short-range SAM missile launchers fore and aft which would not have been able to shoot down any major attack consisting of any large numbers of modern anti-shipping missiles. In 2011, both were upgraded with longer range missiles, but were still rated weak against modern equipment.
So we move to the first truly capable ship the PLAN acquired when they bought first two and then two more Russian Sovremenny destroyers, which were the strongest destroyers the Soviets produced in the cold war and which they still have to this day. The last two had significantly improved electronics. They had 48 medium range missiles (about 20 miles) and eight strong, supersonic anti-shipping missiles, plus strong anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
It was wondered, as the Chinese began to develop their own stronger ships whether the Chinese would keep the Sovremenny vessels. The Chinese answered when they took the first one and upgraded it. Exchanging all Russian weapons and sensors for Chinese weapons and sensors, including replacing the single arm launchers for the anti-air missiles with 32 VLS missile launchers and their own longer range anti-air missiles. It is anticipated that they will do all four and keep them effective into the 2030s, and perhaps until 2040.
The Chinese then developed two of their own ships, the Type 052B, which mimicked the Sovremenny. Same single arm launchers, same anti-air missiles, same sensors, etc. But they carried 16 Chinese anti-surface missiles and it seems these two ships will be upgraded too with the VLS launchers and Chinese sensors. These were built in the 2004-2006 time frame at the same time the Chinese were building two other types of ships.
At that time is seemed the Chinese were making some decisions on which direction they wanted to go. Did they want to mimic the Russians? Did they want to mimic the United States?, or did they want to go on their own.
One of the ships was the Type 051C. These vessels carried 36 VLS cells similar to Russian VLS cells on some of their other ships. They used diesel engines.
They also had a new Gas generator engine they wanted to keep but were unsure how well it would work. Those ships were the Type 052C and carried 48 of the circular VLS. And they were building (as already stated) the two Type 051B DDGs which were similar to the Sovremenny vessels. The Type 051C seemed like a stop gap against the Type 052C.
Well, the Type 052C won. They built two and they had APARs similar to the US Burke designs with the weapons systems placed similarly. At first they built two and ended up building six of the Type 052Cs.
Then, in 2008-2010 they worked on and completed an upgrade to the Type 052C, called the Type 052D and put them into production.
These carried 64 missile cells, but they were now a newer Chinese VLS very similar in appearance to the US MK-41 system, and they could launch multiple missile types...land attack, medium to long range anti-air, and subrock ASW missiles.
The Chinese really liked these ships which outside of 34 less missiles and only a single helicopter were more in appearance to the US Burke Flight IIA ships. They also had larger APAR radars and were a much improved vessel. The Chinese built 12 of these between 2012 and 2019 and are still building. Six more now (which will make 18) and they will build as many as 30 of these 7.500 ton vessels
In 2016 they began building a newer, larger destroyer, which by American standards would be termed a cruiser.
These are the Type 055, 13,000 ton large destroyers, The have even larger APARs (as larger and even larger than the coming Flight III Burkes). The have 112 VLS cells, and also carry 24 of their close in missiles in the RAM like launcher the Chinese developed. They built four of these at once and launched in 2018 and 2019. It is expected that they will build 20-24 of these vessels.
They also have 30 VERY good Type 054A Frigates to add to the mix...over 100 surface combatants...all new and modern.
