PLAN Type 051B/C Class Destroyers

joshuatree said:

I wonder how difficult it would be to upgrade the 052Bs into 052Cs?

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Almost definitely very very difficult -- much more difficult than the upgrades of 051B, two 052s, and Sovremennys....

Not only would the entire bow and aft Shtil launchers have to be cleared, but the entire deckhouse/superstructure would have to increase in height to accommodate the Type 346 radar (assuming it's still even in production). This doesn't even consider the other changes like AShMs, changing both the forward mast and aft mast, moving the helicopter hangar from the centre to the port side, not to mention the structural modifications for the internals of the ship... altogether these modifications would likely be very expensive and take up valuable shipyard time and worker expertise that could be better used elsewhere, like building or fitting out a new 052D. In fact it may even be cheaper to simply build a new 052D than modifying and refitting an 052B to an 052C.

The mere idea of upgrading the 052Bs to 052Cs makes me feel a little queasy lol.

joshuatree said:

I wonder how difficult it would be to upgrade the 052Bs into 052Cs?

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Well maybe not impossible, but pretty close to it.

Displacement alone the 052C is at-least 500 tons heavier (7000+ vs. 6500). The structure will have to through some painful changes if even possible. The superstructure must be rebuilt nearly ground up to fit those 4 large AESA. Serious modifications are need to install those 8x 6-cell VLS drums. Helicopter hanger has to be moved further away to accommodate the 2x rear VLS. The list would go on.

It may not be impossible, but I don't think it is worth it in-terms time and money. Better upgrade would be to replace the 2x missile launchers with VLS HHQ-16 simliar to the Sovremennyy.

joshuatree said:

I wonder how difficult it would be to upgrade the 052Bs into 052Cs?

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Assuming the basic hull design is same throughout, you're still talking a total redo for the whole upper superstructure plus cutting out the "B" position for the VLS silos, which for a 2 decades old hull (it'll be by the time it's turn for mid-life overhaul) there will come the question of cost-effectiveness to embark such work.

So I won't expect the 052B to receive such "royal treatment", unless the PLAN got that much money to burn.

joshuatree said:

I wonder how difficult it would be to upgrade the 052Bs into 052Cs?

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Far too expensive.

The Type 052Bs are basically Chinese versions of the SOVs with all of the weaponry and sensors of the SOVs, but more ASMs. They would have to completely gut the vessels.

Since the Chinese have four SOVs, and these two Sino-Sovs, they have six good vessels that are very capable ASuW and ASW vessels, but also with a decent (albeit using two single arm launchers) AAW coverage for themselves and a few vessels in the nearby vicinity.

No need to upgrade them. Those six vessels are going to serve well into the 2030s is my guess.

LATER: Though they are going to upgrade the Sovs in any case to have a VLS like the Type 054As. And that's fine...they go with the sensors they already have. Whether they will (or can) upgrade the Type 052Bs with that Type 054A VLS remains to be seen.

She's almost ready...

(750 x 1334)

by78 said:

She's almost ready...

(750 x 1334)

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I can't wait to get a good view showing all of the weather decks from above so we can see the weapons and sensor fit very good.

This latest helps confirm it.

With her new VLS and missiles, the new CIWS, and the new sensors, she's going to be an effective combatant:

Another view...

(1530 x 1058)

Three more very clear high-resolution photos.

(2048 x 1366)


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by78 said:

Three more very clear high-resolution photos.

(2048 x 1366)

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(2048 x 1366)

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Nice pics!

I'd like to find one with a good angle of the new VLS forward.

We see the CIWS, the main gun, the frames for the 16 ASMs, the pad and hanger, the counter measures, etc. I'd just like to get good look at the VLS.

Very exciting to see them take this large, capable hull and modernize it like this.

...and with an effective VLS for AAW and potentially AROCs...those 16 ASMs will make this DDG a hard hitting surface combatant that any other force will have to respect and take account of.

My only question for this class is whether the PLAN will be willing to spare 4-8 VLS tubes for CY-5s and cut down its HHQ-16 complement to only 24-28 missiles. For a ship of that size, this is a rather small number of air defense missiles. They could instead sacrifice some antiship capability and load some rocket-boosted torpedoes (CY-2/CJ-1) in the slant ASCM launchers instead of the YJ-83s.