052/052B Class Destroyers

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

Hope 152 gets commissioned before this year but it looks like its going to slip into early 2014

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

055 Is A Long Way Down The Road-This is not quite a half of a Destroyer Zhidui



Including 2 Unnumbered 052C's in Zhoushan Naval Base

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

So looks like 052C 6 can be ticked off as having gone on sea trials!


It sure will be a sight for sore eyes once all the old ludas and jiangweis are replaced in the 6 main destroyer flotillas.
Simply looking at that first picture, the smooth surfaces of 052C, 054A and 056 are like gems to the coal pieces of the 051s and 053Hs.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

Latin America Type 052C and Type 054A

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

Bltizo said:

So looks like 052C 6 can be ticked off as having gone on sea trials!


It sure will be a sight for sore eyes once all the old ludas and jiangweis are replaced in the 6 main destroyer flotillas.
Simply looking at that first picture, the smooth surfaces of 052C, 054A and 056 are like gems to the coal pieces of the 051s and 053Hs.

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I'm going to miss the 053H3s once they're gone. I like how they're armed to the teeth with what was available to the PLAN at the time. It would be nice to see the 053H3s (or the 054As, 052Cs and Ds have a few HMGs and 30mm cannons mounted as secondary weapons) and let'em rip like a WW2 style gunnery contest!

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

PanAsian said:

I'm going to miss the 053H3s once they're gone. I like how they're armed to the teeth with what was available to the PLAN at the time. It would be nice to see the 053H3s (or the 054As, 052Cs and Ds have a few HMGs and 30mm cannons mounted as secondary weapons) and let'em rip like a WW2 style gunnery contest!

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Well, as time goes on, I would not be surprised to see the 30mm auto cannons that the Type 065 carries placed on vessels like the 052C/D and 054As.

They are becoming essential in today's world to provide close in, anti-surface, anti-boarding defense.

The US, after the Cole bombing, has realized the need. US DDGs and CGs have two Mk 38 Mod 2 25mm auto cannons, and each also mounts something like six .50 cal MGs whenever in port. The LCS does the same. Also US Navy LPDs and LHAD/As do too. All US carriers have multiple .50 cal MG mounts spread around the flight deck and sponsons.

I believe the PLAN will do the same...and probably already has the MG mounts on the vessels.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

A.Man said:

055 Is A Long Way Down The Road-This is not quite a half of a Destroyer Zhidui



Including 2 Unnumbered 052C's in Zhoushan Naval Base

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Very nice pictures from Dinghai.

But you actually see more than one destroyer flotilla (the 6th, to be precise). 054A 549 is missing, but there is one of the 053H2G's from Shanghai, plus of course the three 056's on what appears to be a prolongued training course at Dinghai.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

Jeff Head said:

Well, as time goes on, I would not be surprised to see the 30mm auto cannons that the Type 065 carries placed on vessels like the 052C/D and 054As.

They are becoming essential in today's world to provide close in, anti-surface, anti-boarding defense.

The US, after the Cole bombing, has realized the need. US DDGs and CGs have two Mk 38 Mod 2 25mm auto cannons, and each also mounts something like six .50 cal MGs whenever in port. The LCS does the same. Also US Navy LPDs and LHAD/As do too. All US carriers have multiple .50 cal MG mounts spread around the flight deck and sponsons.

I believe the PLAN will do the same...and probably already has the MG mounts on the vessels.

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a Billion $ Vessel armed to the teeth with .50 cals.. now that's an idea.

seriously the french has the right idea for colonial defense. cheap low cost small ships. essentially US has the same mission, just don't want to admit it. but is able to afford bigger ships.

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

i.e. said:

a Billion $ Vessel armed to the teeth with .50 cals.. now that's an idea.

seriously the french has the right idea for colonial defense. cheap low cost small ships. essentially US has the same mission, just don't want to admit it. but is able to afford bigger ships.

Click to expand...

Uh...actually, from my perspective, no.

The billion dollar vessel is armed to the teeth with modern, state of the art anti-aircraft missiles, anti-surface missiles, torpedos, helicopters, advanced radars, advanced sensors, a 5" or other large caliber dual purpose gun, and a very efficient propulsion system. It's primary mission is war at sea, ASW duties, task force escort and protection, etc. Not "colonial" coastal duties.

If you are talking about the LCS, well, it is not a billion dollar vessel. But it too is not there for "colonial coastal" duties. It is also armeed with state of the art weaponry (including most of those mentioned above) and sensors for warfare in the litorals against submarines, other surface combatants, mine warfare, and also escort duties where a lightly armed corvette would not be able to perform all of those duties. The LCS is secveral hundred million a pop.

Either way, they also have several .50 cal machine guns, and perhaps a couple of 25 or 30mm autocannons for...as I stated, very close in self-defense against borders and terrorists.

Quite frankly, what I was posting about has nothing to do with coastal patrol vessels, or small corvettes. It has everything to do with making sure a simple, asymetrical threat does not damage or destroy a billion dollar, or mulit-hundred million dollar vessel.

And if you want to speak of the French, their Horizon and FREMM vessels are also high dollar ships, yet contain the same types of close in weaponry I mention for the same reasons...so your "french" analogy, when compared to the same type ships, simply doe not really apply either...at least not today.

As I said, such defenses are becoming essential for all such vessels, including IMHO, the Type 052C/D ships this thread is about..

re: PLAN Type 052 Class Destroyer

i.e. was of course referring to the FLOREAL class, based at French overseas possessions, which were very low-budget ships built to comercial standards.