055 Large Destroyer Thread II
- Thread starter Blitzo
- Start date
I don't think it's that urgently needed. YJ-21 already have 1500km range, which allow both 055 and 052D to engage carriers directly.
Also, the P-700 are not that much bigger than YJ-21 actually:
YJ-21: 0.83 x 8.5m
Granit (with booster): 0.85 x 10m
LRASM has 900km range, F-35C has 500km. Together is nearly 1500km, which is somewhat equivalent to YJ-21 or even exceeding. (Recall longer range for YJ-21 implies slower terminal speed and thus a better chance for SM-6 to intercept.)
Therefore, if talking about a decisive battle outside the 2nd island chain, say Hawaii or even near California, it is reasonable to have a shipboard version of DF-26. The range is around 2500km, far exceeding the range of a CSG. This will likely put an end to CSG tactics and reincarnate the "capital ships".
So what's happening to future 055 variants? To insert something like DF-17/26 you will definitely need a larger VLS cell, which might even be capable of quad-packing HHQ-9B, nona-packing HHQ-16F due to universal properties. So the ship hull as well as tonnage increases to equip such cells.
Using LRASM means the F-35 has to give up stealth, since it cannot carry it internally. The JSM can be carried internally but it only have 200km range, which mean the YJ-21 will outrange F-35.
YJ-21 follow the Sanger ballistic to extend range, so the terminal speed at 1500km is prob still Mach 10.
I don't like idea of a giant 055. You can just use a different VLS like the G-VLS on the future DDGX
The F-35C definitely has a much greater combat radius than just 500 kilometers. Even the F/A-18 has 600-700 kilometers of combat radius with a typical combat load and using internal fuel only.
The F-35C's reasonable combat radius with 2x LRASMs carried under its wings should be around 900-1000 kilometers.
Also, longer range definitely doesn't mean slower terminal speed. As a matter of fact, for comparison's sake - Even by assuming that the YJ-21 is a pure ballistic missile (it isn't) - Does the DF-41 have a slower terminal speed than the DF-26? Certainly not.
Breaking the F-35's stealth profile by carrying LRASMs honestly isn't that much of a problem, considering that the LRASM is meant to be released at standoff ranges. Coupled with the limitations imposed on the PLAN's present carrier air wings (namely no KJ-600 and lower-than-desirable mid-air refueling capability to speak of) - The PLAN's area air defense radius typically won't extend significantly beyond the HHQ-9B/C's interception range.
For the USN, what matters more at present is by having "clean" (i.e. in stealth mode) F-35s (and B-21s in the future) providing target guidance to those LRAMSs while flying closer to PLAN warships/formations.
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Yes, YJ-21 is not a pure ballistic missile, and that's exactly why terminal speed differs.
You can decomposite the force into vertical and horizontal ones.
More ratio on vertical increases your terminal speed, and more ratio on horizontal increases your range.
A pure ballistic missile maximizes the horizontal ratio, and the fastest DF-41 is by launching at 90 degrees, converting all fuel into terminal speed but will travel 0 km.
The problem with 055's VLS is that it is still too small. It inserts smaller missile which internal fuel is inadequate for a 2500km operation. Why YJ-21 is hard to intercept? The essence is its speed plus a non-ballistic trajectory. Both of these are fulfilled by sacrificing the maximal range, which is ~ 1500 km. The grand tactic for modern ASBM strike is to launch different trajectories of missiles, overwhelming enemies' BMD system calculation capability at an untouchable range.
Therefore, future 055 variants with shipboard DF-17/26/27 still do a better job than YJ-21.
The 055 DDG-102 Lhasa hosted a visit by schoolchildren from Lhasa, Xizang. Posted by the official Wechat account of the PLAN.
Such visits by school students should be held more often, also for other warships in the PLAN.
Such visits by school students should be held more often, also for other warships in the PLAN.
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They look like they had a fun time, but I've always been leery about children being close to military matters.
Well tbh they're on a missile *defense* ship, whose more or less only mission is shielding China, not doing any type of offensive action. It'd be an entirely different (and unacceptable) matter if kids were visiting soldiers deployed on an invasion, in a base on occupied territory.
There's always a little grey area when allowing children to meet military figures, but this is as tame as such an interaction possibly can be. Imo in this case it's no different than visiting firefighters.