052C/052D Class Destroyers
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
SinoSoldier
Colonel
Whoa, for a second there I thought we were about to witness the thing lob CJ-10 cruise missiles la Operation Iraqi Freedom.
I know these pictures are from one of the recent CCTV 7 军事报道 (Military Affairs Report?) news. Can anybody familiar with CCTV find the episode? I couldn't find it on Youtube.
GE Jiangnan Report March 28 2015
5 confirmed 052D's One 052C, Possible another 2 052D's under construction
We only saw 052D's & C's constructed in right hall, but this one is in left hall. Why?
Possible one more 052D with 2 10000 ton Coast Guard ships & 3324?
3323?
All 4 Very Large Dry Docks, No Carrier construction can be identified
5 confirmed 052D's One 052C, Possible another 2 052D's under construction
We only saw 052D's & C's constructed in right hall, but this one is in left hall. Why?
Possible one more 052D with 2 10000 ton Coast Guard ships & 3324?
3323?
All 4 Very Large Dry Docks, No Carrier construction can be identified
steve_rolfe
Junior Member
Exactly............surely the 2nd 052D must be ready to join the fleet soon, as its been in trials for ages now. Its build time was only a few months behind the lead ship 'Kunming' which has now been in service for well over a year now.
I assume the 'Kunming' was put on the production fast track route, so the Chinese Navy could find, if there were any problems with the build, that would affect the other vessels in the class being built, but then again, i hope the 052D's dont take so long to finish off as per the last 2 052C's!
052D 1 was commissioned early, but probably with less capabilities that could be considered fully operational, OTOH later commissioning of subsequent 052Ds may reflect that they are commissioned with more capabilities operational from the outset.
In other words, I think the actual commissioning date of PLAN ships isn't that important but rather it is how many capabilities the ship has at a particular time and how familiar it's crew is with their ship which is more important.
I also think that the fitting out process takes longer than the time it takes to fabricate and launch a new hull, meaning if production of units occur continuously like how we see at JN, then the shipyard may have to simultaneously fit out many ships at once, the more ships there are meaning a longer fitting out process for each ship as they're dividing their work force over more vessels. This means there will be a delay in commissioning ships early on but may reflect more rapid sea trials and commissioning at a later date.
Otherwise the alternative is to maintain the same work force to fit out each boat in a chronological basis which will probably leave the newer launched boats having to linger and wait for work to even begin. The solution should be to train more work force, but that has its limits as well.
Can anybody identity the serial number of the 052D on the upper left? If it is 172, then obviously the Kunming needed to be refitted. Also, does anybody know why it takes such a long time for the 052C #153 Xi'an to be commissioned? It has been in Jiangnan for more three years, and there aren't any official reporting of the commissioning of the last 052C.
It might be 172, although I don't recall 172 returning to JN recently. I don't recall photos from the ground showing 172 returning to JN either, so I assume if it did come back it didn't stay very long.
And 153 has already been commissioned, in february although there wasn't any announcement that we noticed for some reason. The 052C in the recent google earth update is 151 which has returned for some kind of light refit or maintenance.
edit: actually there were reports of 153 commissioning, we just didn't see it.
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Could it be because of this incident several weeks ago? Obviously the rear door/window (how do you call it?) in the back of the 151 Zhengzhou was too small (easily swung open by waves and injured two sailors trying to shut it), so it probably has to be refitted.