052/052B Class Destroyers
- Thread starter tphuang
- Start date
Where is it based?Google Earth image from December, 2019 showing Guangzhou undergoing upgrades/overhaul.
I zoomed and cropped this previously posted pic to show that the platform used to hold the Shtil missile launcher and cache has been removed completely leaving a gap.
Now for this tweet.
That looks to me something is being inserted into the hole right here, and it might be a VLS.
Now for this tweet.
That looks to me something is being inserted into the hole right here, and it might be a VLS.
Big news on the 168 Guangzhou refit. Big change on the hanger, its moved from its offset position to center. 053H3 getting a refit next to it.
At least we know for sure they are not putting a VLS at the back. They may all concentrate it at the front, 054A style.
At least we know for sure they are not putting a VLS at the back. They may all concentrate it at the front, 054A style.
If they center the spine and the hanger on the back of 168 Guangzhou, you can potentially move all the decoy launchers at the front of the ship to the back at the top of the hanger on each side of the hanger spine, the same style as the 054A, 052C/D.
This can mean that they will take out the entire platform behind the main gun, so the deck is straight and level right to the bottom of the face of the front superstructure, which itself will be extended down to the deck. This will let you fit a 32 cell VLS in front.
Picture last year showing the platform deck being gutted.
If the hanger has a center spine, the choice is whether you want to fit an HQ-10 launcher on top, along with SATCOM, like 052D, or put two or three SATCOMs on top like 054A. You can eliminate the two SATCOMs at the base of the second mast with the Type 364 radar, and instead put the CIWS there. The two SATCOMs side by side of that mast, can be turned into a single SATCOM at the top of the center spine of the hanger. Putting the two CIWS to the back at the base of the second mast, means you eliminate the two CIWS at the forward superstructure, and you can put two 726-3 ECM units there.
The lifeboats have to be moved amidships to inside the hangers with ports. The masts will have to eliminate the outdated EW equipment to the current standard ones, such as the 726-1 and 726-2 ESM, and the ESM mast like you see on the 052D. While all the destroyer refits appears "054A"-ized, do note that all the destroyer refits --- #167, #136 and #137 --- share the EW equipment from the 052D instead. Finally we should naturally expect the refit to be fitted with YJ-12s like the other refits.
This can mean that they will take out the entire platform behind the main gun, so the deck is straight and level right to the bottom of the face of the front superstructure, which itself will be extended down to the deck. This will let you fit a 32 cell VLS in front.
Picture last year showing the platform deck being gutted.
If the hanger has a center spine, the choice is whether you want to fit an HQ-10 launcher on top, along with SATCOM, like 052D, or put two or three SATCOMs on top like 054A. You can eliminate the two SATCOMs at the base of the second mast with the Type 364 radar, and instead put the CIWS there. The two SATCOMs side by side of that mast, can be turned into a single SATCOM at the top of the center spine of the hanger. Putting the two CIWS to the back at the base of the second mast, means you eliminate the two CIWS at the forward superstructure, and you can put two 726-3 ECM units there.
The lifeboats have to be moved amidships to inside the hangers with ports. The masts will have to eliminate the outdated EW equipment to the current standard ones, such as the 726-1 and 726-2 ESM, and the ESM mast like you see on the 052D. While all the destroyer refits appears "054A"-ized, do note that all the destroyer refits --- #167, #136 and #137 --- share the EW equipment from the 052D instead. Finally we should naturally expect the refit to be fitted with YJ-12s like the other refits.
Can't edit anymore so let me make a correction this way: after a more precise measurement, it's not wider at all.