It is funny that he mentions Australia, given the Hobart class has yet to be fielded by the RAN in any sense of the word.
052C/052D Class Destroyers
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
It is funny that he mentions Australia, given the Hobart class has yet to be fielded by the RAN in any sense of the word.
I agree.
If we are talking about DDGs like the Type 052D, while the Australian Navy has a great tradition and they are very squared away, they simply have not had anything like the Type 052D...or the Type 052C for that matter.
Their Adeliade class of OHP frigates and their Anzac frigates while very good (particularly with the new Anzac air defense upgrade), they still do not size up (literally or figuratively) to the Type 052D.
Now, the Hobarts will...but there first one has not even gone on trials yet, and there will only be three of them...max. Anyhow, it was an interesting comment.
I agree, that when it comes to nations in the Pacific who might conceivably oppose the PLAN, and with DDGs that can compare, the US, Japan, and the ROK are the nations that have such vessels. Australia will once the Hobart is in service and reaches operational capabilities.
US 7th fleet
- 8 x DDG (Burke)
- 2 x CG (Ticonderoga)
JMSDF
- 10 x DDG (Kongo, Atago, AKizuki)
ROKN
- 3 x DDG (Se Jong)
RAN
- 1 x DDG (Hobart)
So in terms of fully capable DDGs and CGs, these nations currently have 24 DDGs and CG surface combatants in the Pacific that are comparable...and 45 of them are US Navy.
The PLAN currently has (and I am talking about in service vessels here)
06 x Type 052C
04 x Type 052D
It is going to be a long time before the force structure compares, so there really is not too much to get excited about in terms of force on force. But there is in terms of a changing state of affairs. In the next ten years, those Chinese numbers become something like:
06 x Type 082C
12 x Type 052D
08 x Type 055
26 PLAN vessels. In the same time frame, the total US, ROK, JMSDF, and RAN becomes
US 7th fleet
- 8 x DDG (Burke)
- 2 x CG (Ticonderoga)
JMSDF
- 16 x DDG (Kongo, Atago, Akizuki, 25DD)
ROKN
- 6 x DDG (Se Jong)
RAN
- 3 x DDG (Hobart)
41 total surface combatants of this scale.
Finally, in thet overall equation in the Pacific, you have to also consider the US 5th fleet based in San Diego, Everett WA, and Hawaii. The US has plainly stated that the 5th and 7th fleets will be working together. It adds the following:
US 5th fleet
- 25 x DDG (Burke)
- 10 x CG (Ticonderoga)
35 more similar surface combatants.
Adding all the modern FFGs in is beyond the scope of this comment...but let's just say that all of the Type 054A/B FFGs while not as numerous as the current or planned FFGs of these nations, are still a very potent and equalizing force overall.
Last edited:
Yes, I think any serious comparison in terms of modern surface combatants would have to be considered with the relative capability between individual ships in mind as well -- after all an Akizuki is not the same class of an aegis type vessel as say a Sejong.
Given the Chinese Navy's frigate heavy orbat it would also be important to bring them into any comparison as well, in fact, given the Chinese Navy's current "blue water capable" surface combatant force structure, their destroyer to frigate ratio is 1:1, so only looking at modern destroyers without looking at modern frigates would obviously distort the overall situation a little bit.
Though the 054A class may not quite be an aegis type vessel due to the somewhat slow scan rate of its Sea Eagle radar. It will be interesting to see if the 054B changes that up, such as by giving the ship a newer type of fixed or fast rotating AESA. Such an upgrade (along with expected internal improvements in combat management, and likely changing to the new common VLS) I think would qualify an 054B quite handidly to be considered an aegis type ship.
I will also be interested to see just how many more Sejongs the ROKN will seek to acquire. I haven't heard anything on that front for quite a while now.
South Korea is planning three more SeJongs.
My point is that in terms of strong, modern AEGIS or AEGIS-like destroyers, the PLAN is rapidly growing.
Right now, with the ships it has already launched, (even if several are not commissioned yet), it has more of these DDGs than Japan, Australia, and South Korea combined.
PLAN:
6 x Type 052C
9 x Type 052D
That's fifteen.
Japan, South Korea and Australia:
4 x Kongo
2 x Atago
4 x Akizuki
3 x Se Jong
1 x Hobart
That's 14.
The shanghaiist is an established China bashing site.
Blackstone
Brigadier
Even if what you say is accurate, it doesn't disqualify nor dismiss the publication as a source of information, if what it prints are true on a case by case basis. As with any professional or amateur news/blog site, it's buyers beware.
SinoSoldier
Colonel
Australia has a navy? Oh my...
antiterror13
Brigadier
well, you don't need to put down any country. Australia indeed has a strong navy, the strongest in Southern hemisphere ... perhaps not as strong as PLAN or USN or JMSD .. so what? ... nothing wrong with it
SinoSoldier
Colonel
My apologies; I am still trying to wrap my head around whatever made the author place Australia's navy amongst the ranks of the JMSDF, ROKN, or likewise naval powers.
Hyperwarp
Captain
Actually they do. From 2016 - 2019 they will receive 3 Hobart-class aegis destroyers. They are hoping to replace the present 6 Collins-class SSK with either Sōryū, Scorpène/Shortfin Baracuda or S80. The Collins-class SSK itself is pretty formidable.