But if they install the HQ-10 on top of the hangar by raising it a little bit, they could get 48 cells for the HHQ-16, right?
This is basically where I mean the VLS should go. One is behind the gun and the other is at the hanger and behind the radar as shown.
Since the raised part of the hanger has been removed from the right and moved to the center, we don't know if the mechanical ring and motor is retained for an HHQ-10 installation. It would be interesting if they choose to put two HQ-10 launchers instead, one at the front and one at the rear. But I get the feeling they would put a large SATCOM or two there instead on the top of the hanger and the front will get an HHQ-10 launcher. The SATCOMs seem very important for the PLAN and the back of the hanger has been a good spot for those as we have seen in other ships. One large SATCOM followed by a smaller SATCOM or datalink will be installed on the spine of the hanger like we have seen before on previous 052D.