055 DDG Large Destroyer Thread

[Jeff Head]

Well, whatever in terms of initial builds...and I tend to agree with Bltizo that they will series build these like they did the Type 052Ds...I were for one am excited about seeing that baby take shape.

It will be great to see that bow in the hall at Jiangnan...and then later, perhaps the second at Dalian.

Time will tell.

 

[MwRYum]

Well, whatever in terms of initial builds...and I tend to agree with Bltizo that they will series build these like they did the Type 052Ds...I were for one am excited about seeing that baby take shape.

It will be great to see that bow in the hall at Jiangnan...and then later, perhaps the second at Dalian.

Time will tell.

If they only finish the superstructure mockup this year, chances are it'll be next year at the earliest that the first 055 hull be roll out.

 

[navyreco]

How come nothing on the actual first 055 leaked yet ? Seeing the expected size of the hull, you can't really hid something that large for too long!

 

[delft]

How come nothing on the actual first 055 leaked yet ? Seeing the expected size of the hull, you can't really hid something that large for too long!

If manufacturing started weeks ago modules are now being made that are not yet recognizable.

 

[plawolf]

How come nothing on the actual first 055 leaked yet ? Seeing the expected size of the hull, you can't really hid something that large for too long!

Modular construction.

They don't start putting all the modules together to allow us to discern what it is until near the end of construction, shortly before launch and fitting out starts.

 

[navyreco]

Understood but If first steel cutting took place in December last year (9 months ago) these modules should be quite large and noticeable by now ?

 

[steve_rolfe]

Understood but If first steel cutting took place in December last year (9 months ago) these modules should be quite large and noticeable by now ?

Thats very true.........but maybe there's another approach to the build of the 055.

Could the modules be being built inside at JN shipyard?......or even perhaps at another shipyard?
Personally i think they are being built at JN, but no one has taken images of them yet!

 

[Blitzo]

Understood but If first steel cutting took place in December last year (9 months ago) these modules should be quite large and noticeable by now ?

Possibly, but if they're being put together in a building hall (as I expect they would be), we might not have that much time to actually "spot" a completed module out beyond cover.

In other words, we might only have positive identification of the ship once we see its bow sticking out of the building hall and by that time most of the module assembly will be complete.

If we're lucky, we might identify a module lying around the shipyard which we suspect to be for 055, but seeing as we don't know what the 055 modules look like, it'll be hard to do.

I personally don't expect us to get visual indicators of 055 before 2016, and probably no positive ID before the middle of 2016 for that point, for a late 2016 launch.

 

[Jeff Head]

I personally don't expect us to get visual indicators of 055 before 2016, and probably no positive ID before the middle of 2016 for that point, for a late 2016 launch.

I'll settle for that. If it occurs, that alone will make 2016 a very exciting year.

Now, imagine seeing that new Type 055, and seeing a new carrier definitely identified as building in 2016, and seeing a new J-31, and seeing a production level J-20, possibly the first actual identification of a Type 095 SSN, possibly seeing definitive signs of an LHA (though in 2016 I tend to think it would be one or the other with the carrier...but who knows?). LOL!

Yep, 2016 could absolutely be a banner PLAN watching year!

 

[antiterror13]

I'll settle for that. If it occurs, that alone will make 2016 a very exciting year.

Now, imagine seeing that new Type 055, and seeing a new carrier definitely identified as building in 2016, and seeing a new J-31, and seeing a production level J-20, possibly the first actual identification of a Type 095 SSN, possibly seeing definitive signs of an LHA (though in 2016 I tend to think it would be one or the other with the carrier...but who knows?). LOL!

Yep, 2016 could absolutely be a banner PLAN watching year!

hmmm, considering Chinese economy is kind of in "trouble", it may delay some of new "toys" planned in 2016 to 2017/2018. I think the world economy (including China) is slowing down and may start picking up again in 2017.
But who knows, this may seen as a huge opportunity by PLA to build a lot of new warship as a stimulus economy package. Steel price is very low now, ~US$250-300 per tonne (from US$600), also oil and energy quite cheap