re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer
what is actually mounted on top of the mast on 052c? I assume some sort of radar, but what kind? immediate surface targeting (for gun, etc) is done by that dish in front of the main mast, right? so what is left on top? It doesn't make sense that it is a comm antenna or a navigation radar. it also looks to small to be OTH dish like on 054a. (besides, shouldnt the yagi atenna behind offer OTH capabilities?)
It seems most useful if that bulb was served by a small x-band radar, something just for line of sight 30 or so km of range, fast rotating, high resolution... Basically as early warning for immediate threats that breach the horizon which would otherwise not be noticed by low resolution OTH radars.
On another note, that alleged drawing from someone who saw the ship, however crude it is, does offer some new info. If we assume it is correct, of course.
It shows the new hangar superstructure with boats on the side, which we knew of before. But it also introduced a visibly higher portion of superstructure right in front of it, which 052c didnt have. 052c has a stepped down end, but nowhere is there a portion of superstructure that is higher than the hangar.
Then we have that little dish 052c, in line with ciws and VLS. Something like that is also present on the drawing. Question remains: is there enough space on that higher-up portion of superstructure, right between that little dish and the centrally positioned hangar, to cram in anything else. A small VLS? Probably an 8-cell pack, but perhaps not more than that. But maybe no VLS is there, really. If boats are on the side and hangar is in the middle - how much walkway space is left there? How to get larger equipment like torpedos and such to the hangar if there is a VLS right in front of the hangar, closing off the entire hangar area?
Moving on. The secondary mast with the yagi antenna and diesel exhaust was mounted on another bit of superstructure, that was higher than the railing on 052c. This drawing clearly shows the railing, but shows no superstructure seen behind it. It is as if the mast is standing on its own now, and is probably bigger on 052d, if it wants to keep the height of the radar. Comm bulbs are visible right near the mast, as on 052c.
Also, while the side railing goes almost all the way to the front superstructure on 052c, on drawing it goes just to the exhaust stack. Could that also point to some changes there, perhaps that bit of intake structure that we saw laying around the shipyard, which seemed a bit bigger than one on 052c?
