Chinese PLA Sets New World Record Launching 23 New Surface Warships in One Year

30 Desember 2019

Type 75 LHD (photo : Russiadefence)

On December 26th, 2019, the launch ceremony of the sixth destroyer of Type 055 and the twenty third destroyer of Type 052D was held at the shipyard in Dalian.

In just 2019, the Chinese shipbuilders launched nine destroyers for the needs of the PLA Navy, setting a new world record.

China’s 10,000 ton-class guided missile destroyer, the Type 055, is capable of launching long-range land-attack cruise missiles.

China displayed its first Type 055 destroyer, the Nanchang, in April at the fleet review of the PLA Navy’s 70th anniversary celebration in Qingdao, East China’s Shandong Province.

As China’s first type of 10,000 ton-class destroyer, the Type 055 has 112 vertical launch missile cells capable of launching a combination of surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles and anti-submarine missiles.

The Type 052D incorporates improved design, as well as sensors and weapons fit. Its layout slightly differs from that of the earlier Type 052C class, as its superstructure inclines inward at a greater angle for reduced radar cross-section.

The guided-missile destroyer has a length of 156m, beam of 18m and a draft of 6.5m. The full load displacement of the vessel is 7,500t. The destroyer is manned by a crew of 280.

The ships are equipped with vertical launchers for eight anti-aircraft, anti-submarine or tactical cruise missiles each (64 missiles in total): four modules are located in the bow of the ship in front of the superstructure, four others in the stern, in front of the helicopter hangar. In addition to artillery systems, destroyers are armed with three-tube torpedo tubes and four 18-barrel rocket-propelled bombers.

On February 23rd, 2019, at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai, the seventeenth destroyer of Type 052D Nanying was launched.

Destroyer Project 055 and destroyer of Project 052D (photo : wenweipo)

On April 16, 2019, the eighteenth destroyer of Type 052D Huainan was launched at the same Jiannan shipyard.

On May 10, 2019, two Type 052D missile destroyers were launched at the Dalian Liaonan Shipyard in Dalian.

According to Chinese media, the number of destroyers of this Type in the PLA Navy reached 20 units.

On August 28, 2019, the twenty-first destroyer of Type 052D was launched at a shipyard in Shanghai.

The ship was built according to an updated project – the helicopter platform is slightly longer. In all likelihood, the site has been lengthened to base the ship’s version of the latest Chinese Z-20 helicopter.

On September 12th, 2019, the fifth destroyer of Type 055 was launched at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.

On September 26th, 2019, the twenty-second destroyer of Type 052D was launched at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai.

On December 26, 2019, the launch ceremony of the sixth destroyer of Type 055 and the twenty third destroyer of Type 052D took place at the shipyard in Dalian.

In total, in 2019, Chinese shipyards launched 23 surface ships for the PLA Navy, including:

-1 Type 075 universal landing ship;
-1 Type 071 amphibious helicopter docking ship;
-2 Type 055 destroyers;
-7 Type 052D destroyers;
-12 Type 056 corvettes;

(SothFront)