re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer
The CCL VLS is not that much bigger than Mk 41. I can't remember where to pull up the dimensional analyses of the two VLS when 052D first came out, but if you look at some of the overhead shots of 052D and its VLS and compare with similar photos of tico (recalling that both have near identical beams), they are not that much different. That is to say, for the same area which X number of CCL VLS uses, you can practically fit maybe X+1 Mk 41 VLS modules. (depending how big X is)
Zumwalt only has 80 Mk 56 VLS because most of the space on that ship is dedicated to two massive freaking AGS. Replace both with a single 127mm gun and you'd get a hell of a lot of room to fit more VLS. Zumwalt is intended to be a multirole vessel with strong emphasis (I woudl say it is compromised) for shore bombardment capability. The fact that it's 14k tons and "only" has 80 VLS is ignoring its unique armament.
Similarly, if 055 is indeed 12,000 tons then the PLAN are definitely aiming for a cruiser. They don't have a need to put AGS like guns onboard, so what will that space and mass be used for instead? Well more VLS cells and command and control facilities of course. If they have less than 128 VLS I'd be very disappointed, considering ticos are <10k tons and have such a number too.
If PLAN are serious about defending CVBGs and advancing their capabilities they will need cruisers. The requirement for such ships is there.
(And that part about providing fire support for attacking other countries is flawed as well -- having 128 or more VLS doesn't mean you inherently have to load LACMs onboard. ROKN have 3 sejong "DDGs," and they're not out to fire tomahawks at third world countries...)
The CCL VLS is not that much bigger than Mk 41. I can't remember where to pull up the dimensional analyses of the two VLS when 052D first came out, but if you look at some of the overhead shots of 052D and its VLS and compare with similar photos of tico (recalling that both have near identical beams), they are not that much different. That is to say, for the same area which X number of CCL VLS uses, you can practically fit maybe X+1 Mk 41 VLS modules. (depending how big X is)
Zumwalt only has 80 Mk 56 VLS because most of the space on that ship is dedicated to two massive freaking AGS. Replace both with a single 127mm gun and you'd get a hell of a lot of room to fit more VLS. Zumwalt is intended to be a multirole vessel with strong emphasis (I woudl say it is compromised) for shore bombardment capability. The fact that it's 14k tons and "only" has 80 VLS is ignoring its unique armament.
Similarly, if 055 is indeed 12,000 tons then the PLAN are definitely aiming for a cruiser. They don't have a need to put AGS like guns onboard, so what will that space and mass be used for instead? Well more VLS cells and command and control facilities of course. If they have less than 128 VLS I'd be very disappointed, considering ticos are <10k tons and have such a number too.
If PLAN are serious about defending CVBGs and advancing their capabilities they will need cruisers. The requirement for such ships is there.
(And that part about providing fire support for attacking other countries is flawed as well -- having 128 or more VLS doesn't mean you inherently have to load LACMs onboard. ROKN have 3 sejong "DDGs," and they're not out to fire tomahawks at third world countries...)
