052/052B Class Destroyers

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

I updated my Type 052D page:


These are going to be very capable guided missile destroyers. With three in the water and the 4th building, it will be interesting to see how many are actually built. I believe 12 will be built, but time will tell.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

Jeff Head said:

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It's worth noting that the new pennant number font is actually smaller than this.

Jeff Head said:

These are going to be very capable guided missile destroyers. With three in the water and the 4th building, it will be interesting to see how many are actually built. I believe 12 will be built, but time will tell.

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Alas with inferior firepower then its rivals due to only 64 VLS loadout. Still, if the VLS do indeed have potential for LACM option, it'd probably PLAN's first ever possess surface combatant that has such precision deep-strike capability, truly multi-role as in no longer confined fighting against sea and air targets. Capability to launch LACM will complicate all of China's naval rivals' war plans, thanks to LACM's nature of complex attack route options and sea skimming cruise profile.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

MwRYum said:

It's worth noting that the new pennant number font is actually smaller than this.

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That's simply a CG that has been out there for some time, which despite the size of the pennant number, is probably still the best CG of the Type 052D available.

MwRYum said:

...if the VLS do indeed have potential for LACM option, it'd probably PLAN's first ever possess surface combatant that has such precision deep-strike capability, truly multi-role as in no longer confined fighting against sea and air targets.

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I believe that the Type 052D will bring those types of capabilities, really for the first time, to PLAN surface combatants. It may be a while before we see that capanbility deployed at sea since I am not sure that the LACM is ready for the VLS yet.

I also believe that we will see the Type 052D emerge as the escort of choice for their high-value vessels like the carrier, the Type 071 LPDs, and later for LHAs that the PLAN builds. I think that they will serve very ably in that role with a large/full loadout of AAW missiles.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

MwRYum said:

Alas a singular purposed one, when the world has long since moved into the era of modular loading and multi-role capabilities.

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Ah, but these are China's first generation domestically made VLS systems. Considering the speed at which the Chinese navy advanced from SAM box launchers (HQ-7) to arm launchers (SA-N-12) to VLS with locally made hardware, it's quite a feat.

Although multi-mission capable VLS system is preferable, I'd argue that if the ship is built as an AAW destroyer, and its long-range missiles perform the role of area or fleet air-defense well, then your product is "on target". If you let scope creep get out of hand, the product will be delayed with cost over-runs and various issues.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

Franklin said:

Come on guys aren't we getting a little greedy here ? There are 2 C's and 3 D's in JN that are in varius stages of being fitted out. There is 1 C on sea trail and 1 D in the building hall. That's 7 DDG's that JN is juggling right now. And from the PLAN's perspective beside the Type 052C/D's there are also other ships that are in varius stages of construction or on sea trials like the Type 054A's and Type 056's in other shipyard's across the country.

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5 DDG sitting outside JN isn't even that much, there's no reason why JN can't keep pace and keep building the commissioning will take care of itself as will the fitting out

There is no doubt JNCX is a formidable shipyard, certainly it has shown since Nov 2010 when C3 was launched they have a capability to rival the two top warships yards in the world, Ingalls and Bath Iron Works

In 31 months they launched 7 DDG, more than the entire Type 45 DDG fleet who in 56 months launched 6 x Type 45, almost as if to say they are game with US shipyards and gave chase although over a much shorter timescale

If China sustains its DDG rate by end of this decade they could have 19 further DDG launched, that's in addition to 6 Type 052C and 4 Type 052D total of almost 30 DDG or 40% of the USN Arleigh Burke fleet

For a country with the size and trade of China a navy of this size is really bare minimum especially when you consider they have three fleets

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

MwRYum said:

Alas with inferior firepower then its rivals due to only 64 VLS loadout. Still, if the VLS do indeed have potential for LACM option, it'd probably PLAN's first ever possess surface combatant that has such precision deep-strike capability, truly multi-role as in no longer confined fighting against sea and air targets. Capability to launch LACM will complicate all of China's naval rivals' war plans, thanks to LACM's nature of complex attack route options and sea skimming cruise profile.

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Depends who the rivals are.

Regional rivals include ticos, burkes, jmsdf burke derivatives, and sejong which of course all feature greater VLS load. International rivals could anything from type 45, horizon/fremm, australia's hobarts, etc, which obviously all feature a smaller VLS load than 052D.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

Does anyone know what the source is of the diesel engines of these ships. I know that the gas turbine engines are being produced by China. But i understand that the diesel engines that these ships use are from German origines. Is China still building them under license or is China now able to build these engines themselves ? And what about the engines for the Type 054A that are of French origines ?

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

Franklin said:

Does anyone know what the source is of the diesel engines of these ships. I know that the gas turbine engines are being produced by China. But i understand that the diesel engines that these ships use are from German origines. Is China still building them under license or is China now able to build these engines themselves ? And what about the engines for the Type 054A that are of French origines ?

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Almost ALL marine diesels are produced locally. There are like three places in the world capable of designing decent marine diesels and everybody else, including the mighty USN, build them locally on licence.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

Yes, of course China is perfectly capable of licence-building SEMT-Pielstick high-speed diesels for surface ships (has been doing it since the 70's) and MTU diesels for submarines.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

MwRYum said:

Alas with inferior firepower then its rivals due to only 64 VLS loadout. Still, if the VLS do indeed have potential for LACM option, it'd probably PLAN's first ever possess surface combatant that has such precision deep-strike capability, truly multi-role as in no longer confined fighting against sea and air targets. Capability to launch LACM will complicate all of China's naval rivals' war plans, thanks to LACM's nature of complex attack route options and sea skimming cruise profile.

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I do think the 052D is underarmed, but I don't think it's the VLS loadout that's light, rather the 052D can use another gun CIWS for a total of two 2 gun CIWS and 1 missile CIWS (24 rounds is OK).