If China build 100 of the 052D($500 million each x100=$50Billion China can afford that given it has $4Trillion in Forex), would that be enough to change the balance of power in Pacific?
With 100 052D china can fit up the whole China Sea with these type of ships. Plus the surrounding Maritimes patrol ships and fishermen ships, they can overwhelm anybody anywhere in the South China sea when they bring in their oil drill rig.
This 052D is China's best ship and now put it into economy of scale and forces will be multiplied.
There's always some "magic" in astronomical numbers which will bring shock n awe in opponents. Like Soviet 's 10,000 nuke warheads, yeah, too much overkilled but that number will blow people away. Pyschological factor. But with China Russia being tie together now, I do hope they can sell 5000 of those to China cheap.
Have you take into consideration of the following,
1) Crew number, training, etc.
2) Missiles, ammunition cost
3) Maintanence cost
4) Fuel and other spare parts cost
5) Port facilities and other infrastructure cost
8) Helicopters and support aircraft cost
7) Other miscellaneous cost,
Yes, China is the second richest economic now. Do China want to spent all her money, infrastructure, etc, in weapon systems? And let me tell you, the cost of building one ship might not be high to a economic like China, the cost of maintaining a fleet of 100 Type 052D inclusive of other ships type like aircraft carriers, corvette, missiles boats, nuclear and conventional submarines, etc etc, is going to kill a country's economic, yes... even China's economic.
