The Chinese shipbuilding company Dalian Shipbuilding has launched a Type-055 class destroyer – already the tenth in this series, and is also increasing production at the second plant of the complex – in Dagushan, east of the Dalian Bay. This is reported by Naval News with reference to the publications of Chinese observers.
According to their observations, the shipyard not only launched the tenth Type-055 destroyer, but also began construction of the next ship in the series. According to Naval News, according to new commercial satellite images, another Type-052D class destroyer, the sixth in the final batch, was also laid at the shipyard.
The tenth (presumably) Type-055 class destroyer, China
Naval News
The publication recalls that Dalian is one of the two main naval shipyards, along with Jiangnan in Shanghai, building the latest guided missile destroyers for the People's Liberation Army Navy of China.
Most recently, Dalian Shipbuilding launched five Type-052D destroyers assembled in one large dry dock. In addition, until mid-April, the shipyard also carried out work on the modernization of the first Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning.
According to Chinese observers, the tenth Type-055 destroyer is now moored at the shipyard in Dalian, just at the place where the Liaoning was previously modernized. The ninth ship of the series was launched earlier, at the end of 2023.
The first batch of Type-055 destroyers has eight ships, the shipyards in Jiangnan and Dalian have built four units each. The lead destroyer Nanchang (tail number 101) joined the fleet of the People's Republic of China in January 2020. The eighth "Sanyan" (108) was commissioned in the spring of 2023.
Eight destroyers are assigned to the Northern and Southern Commands of the PLA Navy. The main role of the Type-055 destroyers is to escort the aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong. They act in a similar way to how the U.S. Navy uses Ticonderoga-class cruisers as air defense command posts for carrier strike groups.
In addition, Type-055 destroyers can act as flagship ships of surface combat groups, providing command and control functions.
In China, Type-055 class destroyers belong to the fourth generation. In terms of size, with a displacement of about 13 thousand tons, they are second only to the American destroyers of the Zumwalt type (displacement – 14.5 thousand tons), but surpass the destroyers of the Arleigh Burke type and the cruisers Ticonderoga.
The length of the Type-055 class destroyers is 183 meters, width is 20 meters, draft is 6.6 meters. Equipped with four 28 MW QC-280 gas turbines, these ships can reach speeds of up to 30 knots. The cruising range is 5,000 nautical miles. The crew consists of more than 300 people.
The Type-055 destroyers are armed with HQ-9B anti-aircraft missiles with a range of up to 200 km and promising HQ-26 missiles (analogous to the American SM-3), YJ-18A anti-ship missiles (analogous to the Russian "Calibers"). Presumably, YU-8A anti-submarine missiles are also included in the arsenal. The destroyer is also equipped with a fully automatic 130 mm H/PJ-38 artillery system, four 30 mm H/PJ-11 anti-aircraft artillery complexes, HQ-10 short-range anti-aircraft missile systems and torpedoes.
According to open data, the Chinese Navy intends to adopt the second batch of Type-055 destroyers in the same number of eight units.
