I echo Deino's welcome, Janker!
Welcome to SD!
And that is an OUTSTANDOING pic. IMHO, best one yet showing the Type 055 Mickup. Very good indeed.
I echo Deino's welcome, Janker!
I do not think the PLAN is doing peripheral type VLS at this stage.That makes sense.
A random thought: what if there are more, smaller sized (the 3 and 5 meter depth cells) VLS installed on the portside and starboard side of the exhaust funnels to carry smaller weapons like the SAM version of the PL-12/15 and what have you.
That could explain the low CIWS count (also if they decide to install lasers and railguns after 2020, especially for that rumored 55+ with IEP).
I am not aware of those pictures and would have to see them myself and analyze them before I would even make a comment about them..Now Rick Fisher dug up some images of a Chinese railgun from about ten years ago, and there was a truck portable laser that could shoot down drones at a reasonable distance (and those giant ASAT lasers), but the question is, who owns those projects in China?
I imagine the lasers might be PLAAF, but beats me about that railgun (Army)?
I am not aware of those pictures and would have to see them myself and analyze them before I would even make a comment about them..
But, from my own sources and research, I expect that the Chinese are at least ten years behind the US in the developm3ent and fielding of these weapons.
And I doubt seriously any talk about any operational or even anywhere close to operational "giant ASAT lasers". That discredits the entire convesation IMHO. We and the Chinese do not have and are not using "giant lasers" capable of shooting through the atmosphere and downing satellites in space. No dount that there is research ongoing, but our current ctechnology is a LONG, LONG way from any such capability.
Missiles using kintetic interceptors are what we and the Chinese and the Russians typcially would use to down satellitess. Their weather satellite that the PRC downed in 2007 used such a system.
other than the fact that at some point in the future the PLAN may deploy a rail guun or a CIWS laser on such a vessel, this discussion is getting well off topic from the Type 055 anyways.
LET'S GET BACK ON TOPIC
That is a great pic and welcome to the forum.
I wonder if they would put sensors and maybe a .50 mount on the extended side platforms. Probably would not have the single 30mm barreled weapon station.
Also the off-axis cut on the mast has now been sealed, supporting the suggestion that the opening was made to make it easier to install equipment in the mast and maybe that is how they would do it for the production ships too.