I mentioned before that the PLAN has to decide on a standardized VLS layout and medium-large SAM. They can't go around having two fairly large SAM systems---HQ-16 on the 054A and HQ-9 on the 052C---each with a different VLS system.
Without standardizing on the VLS system, you can't have a modular approach on the armaments. What if you want to have a cruise missile or ASROC on the VLS? If you built it on the HQ-16's VLS for example, it's not going to work on the HQ-9's VLS. Imagine let's say, the PLAN developed an ASROC, basically a Yu-7 light torpedo with a rocket booster on it and used it on the VLS of the 054A. Obviously it won't work on the 052C.
If the PLAN develops new 052x using the HQ-9 arrangement, they're only throwing good money on a dead end. The only thing the ships will be good at is air defense. You won't have the versatility in the VLS arrangement. We leave the 051C from the argument here because they're obviously dead ends.
The best thing for the 052x is to have more radical changes in order to have some standardization with the 054A which is the type likely to outnumber more than any other modern type in the PLAN. Revert to using HQ-16 for example, with its VLS launchers. Put one in the front and in the back, for a total of 64 missiles. In order to preserve the radar layout from the 052C, the seekers have to be active guided. In the future, the future 054x also have to make some adjustments in the radar layouts in order to be more compatible with the 052x. If they want to retain HQ-9, the 052x must move to a VLS layout similar to the 054x so they can share other missiles.
