TSAMTO, June 3. A Type-055 class destroyer (according to the NATO Renhai classification) was launched at the Dalian Shipbuilding shipyard.
The launched destroyer is the tenth ship of the Type-055 class, which are being built in China by two shipbuilding enterprises: Jiangnan Changxingdao and Dalian Shipbuilding.
According to new commercial satellite images, Dalian Shipbuilding has also begun construction of the next ship in the Type-055 series and laid another Type-052D class destroyer, the sixth in the latest batch.
It is assumed that both Jiangnan Changxingdao and Dalian Shipbuilding are currently working on the second Type-055 destroyers of the second batch. The final number of ships ordered for this batch is unknown, as the PLA does not officially comment on the pace of construction. Other shipyards, including Hudong-Zhonghua in Shanghai and Huangpu-Wenchong in Guangzhou, theoretically can also build destroyers, but now they are fulfilling orders for the construction of frigates, including Type-054A and Type-054B.
As reported by TSAMTO, the first and second Type-055 class destroyers were built at the Jiangnan Changxingdao enterprise in Shanghai. Construction of the third and fourth Type-055 destroyers began at Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co. (DSIC) in late 2016.
The lead destroyer of the series, (101) Nanchang, joined the PLA Navy on January 12, 2020, and the second ship, (102) Lhasa, in early 2021. They are part of the fleet of the Northern Zone of the PLA Combat Command. Built by Dalian Shipbuilding, the destroyer (105) "Dalian" was adopted by the fleet of the Southern Combat Command Zone in April 2021, and (106) "Yan'an" – in February 2022.
The fifth and sixth ships, (103) Anshan and (104) "Wuxi", were built by Jiangnan Changxingdao, the seventh and eighth, (107) "Zunyi" and (108) "Xianyang", – Dalian Shipbuilding. As of April 2023, all 8 ships of the first batch have been put into service.
The main purpose of the Type-055 class destroyers is to escort aircraft carrier strike groups of the PLA Navy. Currently, Jiangnan Changxingdao and Dalian Shipbuilding are building ships of the second batch. It is assumed that at least 16 Type-055 destroyers will be adopted by the PLA Navy in total.
The URO-class destroyer Type-055 is a warship 180 m long, 22 m wide, 6.6 m draught and a displacement of about 13 thousand tons. The difference between Type-055 class ships and the previously built Type-052D destroyers is the equipment of the main COGAG type power plant (Combined Gas and Gas Turbine), instead of CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas Turbine), with four GC-280 GTE with a capacity of 28 MW. The maximum speed is 30 knots, the range is 5,000 nautical miles,
According to media reports, the destroyer is equipped with a 130-mm H/PJ-38 AU, a 112-container vertical launcher that provides the ability to launch HHQ-9 missiles (firing range up to 200 km), YJ-18A anti-ship cruise missiles and CJ-10 cruise missiles to defeat ground targets, Yu-8A anti-submarine missiles.
It is assumed that the ship can also use the YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missile. The destroyer is equipped with a radar with a phased array Type-346 "Dragon Eye" and several other radars and sensors. Two Z-9, Z-18 or Z-20 helicopters can be placed in the hangar.
