Yesterday, May 28, Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC) launched a new Type 055 missile destroyer for the People’s Liberation Army Navy of China. This marks the tenth vessel of its class, which is significant considering that the first one was launched in 2017, indicating a rapid pace of production of this type of ships by the Chinese naval industry in recent years.
Similar to the previous ships, the construction has been carried out at the Jiangnan Changxingdao shipyards in Shanghai. This facility has the capability of simultaneous dry dock work for two ships, as evidenced by the current situation where satellite images not only show the new Type 055, but also reveal a new Type 052D destroyer currently under construction.
It is worth noting that the shipyard itself appears to be undergoing expansion works, reflected in the nearby backyard known as Dagushan, which is right in front of Dalian Bay. According to the specialized media Naval News, this expansion is due to the company’s intentions to increase its production of commercial vessels at its main facilities, delegating the production tasks of future military vessels to Dagushan.
Regarding the characteristics of the Type 055 missile destroyers, they have a displacement of 13,000 tons at full capacity, with a length of 180 meters and a beam of 20 meters. Each ship of the class is equipped with 112 VLS cells, capable of launching long-range HQ-9 and YJ-18 AShM anti-aircraft missiles, in addition to YJ-21 anti-ship missiles. The vessel also features a 130mm H/PJ-38 cannon and a smaller 30mm H/PJ-14 model. These armament capabilities are complemented by the ability to accommodate Harbin Z-9C or Z-18F helicopters.
It is also worth noting that by April 2023, the first eight ships (Nanchang, Lhasa, Anshan, Wuxi, Dalian, Yan’an, Zunyi, and Xianyang) Type 055 were already fully available to the Chinese Navy, evenly distributed between the North Sea Fleet and the South Sea Fleet, with the ninth undergoing testing on its way to commissioning. Specifically, this has meant that these ships have already been able to participate in various military exercises in locations of interest to the Asian Giant, such as the Sea of Japan and the Bering Sea.
*Images used for illustrative purposes
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