Type 45 is the most advanced AAW out there imo. If 052C can get to it's level, then it has really done well. Remember, it's not just about how many missiles you have, but the ability to detect many targets at long range, track those targets and pass those information with other ships using the same combat system and have missiles that can reliably knock down many targets at the same time. Type 45 does not have the luxury of having E-2s and other ships providing it with targeting data, so each ship's sensors/combat system would have to do a lot more work. On top of that, it can engage more target due to having actively guided SAM and Sampson having more channels than AB.
052C should strive to have the same tracking capability and be able to take data from Ka-31s, KJ-200s and other assets, combine that information and then engage targets as a group. Basically, they should try to develop something like Cooperative Engagement Capability. Something like that takes years to develop and sort out all of the issues. I'm glad they took 7 years to really refine and upgrade the combat systems on 052C, but it's going to be an ongoing progress. From looking at the current Chinese electronics technology, they are going to have state of the art command consoles, communication systems, datalink, Ethernet cable and such. Even when it comes to the multi-functional radars on 052C, ECM/ESM systems and other sensors, they should not be that far away from the best. But the question is how good 052C is at combining everything together in its operations. The other question is how good its is at cooperating with other assets in its operations.
These are not easy questions to answer. Of course, when people look at ships, they count the number of missiles first, but that really should not be the holy grail.
. In China, India, etc ... their best brains go to science and engineering ... they value science and engineering very very highly