antiterror13
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what is the logic of 4x Type 055 ? why not 2, 3, 5 or 6 ?
055 DDG Large Destroyer Thread
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what is the logic of 4x Type 055 ? why not 2, 3, 5 or 6 ?
Should China pursue proper cruisers for the PLAN that are larger, heavier and carries more weaponry onboard than the 055?
I know that the 055 is classified as a cruiser by NATO, but it is still pretty much just a large-sized/enlarged destroyer class from the main line 052D.
I do believe that 055-sized destroyers would become the norm for large, powerful navies going into the next few decades. This is based on the observation of China (allegedly) building at least 8 new 055s right now. Meanwhile, the US is also pursuing the DDGX to succeed the Arleigh Burkes and Ticonderogas, whereby the DDGX is also in similar category with the 055 in terms of dimension, displacement and weapon loadout size. Italy and India are also looking at the possibility of future destroyers for their navies with 10k+ displacement.
This is what I believe a general trend where ships are getting larger and heavier as time passes, like how destroyers of today having similar dimensions as cruisers in WW2, frigates of today having similar dimensions as destroyers during the Cold War, etc etc.
Therefore, once the 055s take over the current role of the 052Ds in sufficient numbers, such proper cruisers in the PLAN would act like lite-version of arsenal ships, whereby more of such cruisers could be built than actual arsenal ships, i.e. modern day battleships. This would grant more versatility and flexibility in easing PLAN's fleet management work.
That said, given the immense shipbuilding capability of China, such proper cruisers for the PLAN should be somewhere around the size of Lider and at around 20k tons, but no more than that. These proper cruisers should have considerably more VLS cells than the 055 (approaching or around 200 but not much more), one or maybe two advanced gun systems (or even railguns supported by more powerful propulsion system onboard granted the larger hull size), better sensor and electronic suites, and stronger defense weaponry against aerial, underwater and electronic threats.
These proper cruisers in the PLAN would took over the role that the 055 is playing today.
What do you guys think?
I know that the 055 is classified as a cruiser by NATO, but it is still pretty much just a large-sized/enlarged destroyer class from the main line 052D.
I do believe that 055-sized destroyers would become the norm for large, powerful navies going into the next few decades. This is based on the observation of China (allegedly) building at least 8 new 055s right now. Meanwhile, the US is also pursuing the DDGX to succeed the Arleigh Burkes and Ticonderogas, whereby the DDGX is also in similar category with the 055 in terms of dimension, displacement and weapon loadout size. Italy and India are also looking at the possibility of future destroyers for their navies with 10k+ displacement.
This is what I believe a general trend where ships are getting larger and heavier as time passes, like how destroyers of today having similar dimensions as cruisers in WW2, frigates of today having similar dimensions as destroyers during the Cold War, etc etc.
Therefore, once the 055s take over the current role of the 052Ds in sufficient numbers, such proper cruisers in the PLAN would act like lite-version of arsenal ships, whereby more of such cruisers could be built than actual arsenal ships, i.e. modern day battleships. This would grant more versatility and flexibility in easing PLAN's fleet management work.
That said, given the immense shipbuilding capability of China, such proper cruisers for the PLAN should be somewhere around the size of Lider and at around 20k tons, but no more than that. These proper cruisers should have considerably more VLS cells than the 055 (approaching or around 200 but not much more), one or maybe two advanced gun systems (or even railguns supported by more powerful propulsion system onboard granted the larger hull size), better sensor and electronic suites, and stronger defense weaponry against aerial, underwater and electronic threats.
These proper cruisers in the PLAN would took over the role that the 055 is playing today.
What do you guys think?
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20k tonnes on one ship is a whole lot of waste if sank. The size of the ship should probably be dictated by the necessities of the electronics suite and other mission support features, not total arsenal size, especially as networked cueing takes a more prominent role in naval firepower. In a networked fleet having more ships is its own quality, because it both expands your attack vector options and also makes your network more resilient to attrition over a battle. So long as network centric paradigms rule the robustness of your network matters more than your individual units.
It's a risky strategy to put so much into 1 big ship considering nobody really knows how full blown peer conflict will look like and how vulnerable ships will be. I think a network of smaller ships makes more sense
what's the purpose of a crusier these days?
or put in another way, what differ the crusier and destoryer this days? larger tonnege?
today is 2022, not pre-WW2 anymore, larger tonnege doesn't directly reflect to its ability when the size reach to a level
the current 055 is already a regional air defence lead ship, make it larger won't change this role, thus also won't increase its capacity
chinese fleet is like US Navy now, so they don't need things like Kirov carrier 500 missile and rush close to US carrier battle group and shoot out all the missles
so i'm seen a valid reason for it to reach larger size, if chinese need more missle just build few more 055, they are not US/russia, building a warship is just a piece of cake for them
If Ticonderoga class (Spruance class destroyer hull) can be considered cruisers then the Type 055 already is a cruiser by all relevant measures. It has both significantly higher top speed, range and endurance than the Type 052D.
It will remain a “cruiser” at least until the PLAN builds a larger ship, which I seriously doubt would happen in this decade. If there is a need for a larger hull in the future, it is unlikely to be because of a need for more VLS cells. The main driver in my opinion would be a future requirement for even bigger and more powerful sensors.
In missile salvo exchanges, fewer larger ships tend to fare worse off against more numerous but smaller ships: the number of missiles needed to disable a ship grows with the cube root of a ship’s displacement. One thousand bomb equivalent (TPBE) can put a 1,000 ton ship out of action, 2 TPBE can put a 8,000 ton ship out of action and 3 TPBE can put a 27,000 ton ship out of action.
The biggest single factor in determining the victor is who gets to attack first: and that’s the side with better sensors and scouting capabilities.
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kwaigonegin
Colonel
I think your assessment is very 'fanboyish'. I can almost guarantee you there are currently no plans to build any Kirov class type super cruisers in ANY navies of the world.
It's simply too exorbitant and makes very little strategic sense.
It's my observation, generally speaking, there are 2 opinions:
1) A cruiser is an air defense ship whose primary job is to follow an aircraft carrier. While destroyers also have SAM's only the cruiser can coordinate the air defenses for the CBG. Cruisers are multi-mission: they can do ASW, ASuW, land attack, but its primary job is still air defense.
2) A cruiser can do everything listed above. However it can also threaten or defeat capital ships by carrying plenty of anti-ship missiles.
A cruiser or cruisers (plural) can carry enough firepower to sink even an aircraft carrier.
If you believe in opinion 1) then you probably believe the PLA-navy should build a total of 16 Type-055 cruisers and "call it a day".
If you believe in opinion 2) then building maybe even 40 Type-055 cruisers is an idea that should be given serious consideration.
BTW I believe in opinion 2.
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