Zero?... while the number is:
Zero?... while the number is:
OK I forgot the question mark when asking you what the number isZero?
... while the number is:There are still people who believe that 8 units will be built initially....
Why would we think that every time we see modules at shipyards they will be for 5th Type 055?
The initial contact was for 4 units and that makes sense
"Additional" is the operative word here. I think these modules are probably for the bridge and upper structures of the existing two 055s we see at DL which are approaching that stage of their module assembly.
The other operative word is "purportedly", which I used to indicate my doubt as to whether the module in question is indeed for a new unit.
I agree.From about 2015 the big shrimps were talking about 8 ships initially, and earlier this year that number was suggested by fzgfzy to have changed and interpreted to mean higher than 8.
So it's quite reasonable to expect modules for a 5th 055.
The thing is that we don't expect to see a 5th (overall) 055 to appear at DL, considering they are building two 055s simultaneously in the same big drydock. edit: meaning that we will likely see DL start assembling their 3rd and 4th 055s only after they've launched their 1st and 2nd units, which will likely happen some time next year..
I agree.
I do not believe they build the four at the shipyards to stop there.
There we the initial contracts and once they insure that the yards have built the vessels to spec and done a good job, they will take advantage of that expertise to build more.
I personally expect...if the vessels come out to spec and working as desired, that the PLAN will build at least 12 of these vessels.
I do not think the four will be just a one-off contract for those four.
Time will tell.
Any news on the 055A with IEPs? Will it be included in the first batch?I want to clarify, that I think what Iron Man and Asif were talking about was suggesting that they believe the "initial batch" will be 4 ships (feel free to correct me if my interpretation is incorrect)... But that in total there will likely be more than 4 055s (possibly with later batches of 055s or 055 variants later on).
OTOH, I'm saying that based on the most recent rumours, I think they suggest that the "initial batch" will be at least 8 ships, and that the total 055 count may be even higher than that.
Any news on the 055A with IEPs? Will it be included in the first batch?