1. The number of destroyers in the Chinese Navy has surged, and the size has tripled
The Chinese Navy is on the verge of achieving a remarkable milestone: the number of destroyers will exceed 60. Let's trace this remarkable expansion through historical data:
In 2003, the Chinese Navy had a total of 21 guided missile destroyers, including 16 first-generation 051 destroyers, 2 052A missile destroyers, 2 imported 956 "Modern-class" destroyers and 1 051B destroyer.
By 2013, the Chinese Navy retained 8 old 051 destroyers, 2 052A missile destroyers, 4 imported 956 "Modern-class" destroyers and 1 051B destroyer. At the same time, 2 052B, 4 052C and 2 051C missile destroyers have already been put into combat sequence.
With the elimination of a large number of 051 destroyers and the commissioning of more third-generation ships, the number of destroyers in the Chinese Navy has basically remained around 20.
And in 2023, the Chinese Navy has successfully eliminated all 051 destroyers, leaving 11 second- and third-generation early ships, including 1 Type 051B, 2 Type 051C, 2 Type 052A, and 4 "Modern-class" destroyers.
The Chinese Navy is facing a rapidly developing "tide of receiving ships"!In less than 10 years, 6 052C destroyers, 25 052D destroyers, and 8 0.55 million ton missile destroyers have been put into service one after another, and the total number of missile destroyers has reached 50, of which "shield ships" account for as much as 80 percent.
Observing the latest construction progress, Dalian Shipyard and Jiangnan Shipyard have successively launched the 26th-30th 052D missile destroyers, and the 9th and 10th Type 055 10,000-ton destroyers are also about to be launched. It is expected that between 2025 and 2026, with all these new ships in service, the number of destroyers in the Chinese Navy is likely to exceed 60, and the size will triple in just over 10 years.
Second, the technical level of destroyers of our navy has been markedly improved
Compared with the destroyers equipped in the early days, the Type 052D missile destroyers of our army have shown a more advanced technical level. It is equipped with a multi-functional phased array radar system with excellent detection and tracking accuracy, can track and attack a large number of targets at the same time, has strong anti-jamming and anti-stealth capabilities, and significantly improves the combat effectiveness of the ship.
The Type 052D missile destroyer uses a 64-cell vertical launch system and can carry a variety of missiles, including anti-aircraft missiles, anti-ship missiles, and cruise missiles. The vertical launch system can quickly launch multiple missiles in a short period of time, improving the combat reaction speed and strike capability of the ship.
The new batch of 052D missile destroyers is also equipped with a new type of meter-wave warning radar, and the take-off and landing deck has been lengthened, with the ability to take off and land the Z-20F carrier-based anti-submarine ***. These technological upgrades have greatly improved the ship's combat effectiveness, making it the representative of the modern destroyer of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy and the largest number of medium and large surface combat ships ever built by the Chinese Navy.
Compared with the 052D, the technical level of the 0550000-ton missile destroyer is more revolutionary, especially in the stealth design. The integrated mast design enhances stealth capabilities. The 055 missile destroyer is the first full-fuel powered missile destroyer of the Chinese Navy, and its abundant power makes its hull larger, with a total length of 180 meters and a full load displacement of nearly 13,000 tons, almost twice that of the 052D missile destroyer. The advantages of this larger tonnage are quite obvious.
The 055 missile destroyer has 112 vertical launch units, which can carry more land-attack cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles and anti-aircraft missiles. Its large-caliber vertically launched missile silo can accommodate large-sized YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship missiles, and has an anti-aircraft carrier strike range of thousands of kilometers, making its anti-ship capability surpass all missile destroyers and missile cruisers in the world.
The first batch of 8 055 missile destroyers has all been commissioned, and the construction of the second batch of 055 missile destroyers has also begun. It is reported that the No. 9 and No. 10 ships of the 0.55 million ton drive will be launched in the near future, and the commissioning of these new missile destroyers will greatly strengthen the strength of the Chinese Navy.
3. The main destroyer formation of the Chinese Navy has been fully "turned into a local tyrant".
The main force of the Chinese Navy has now formed six powerful destroyer detachments, and each theater navy has two destroyer detachments, which are responsible for covering different strategic directions and opponents, and can also cooperate with aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships to carry out diversified combat missions.
Take the "Iron Fist Detachment" of the Eastern Theater Navy as an example: With the withdrawal of 4 old Type 051 missile destroyers (131, 132, 133 and 134), the detachment ushered in the equipment renewal of 4 052C missile destroyers and 4 052D missile destroyers, making the missile destroyers fully realize the "full shield", and the ship numbers 150-157 are neat and orderly.
It is reported that the latest batch of 052D missile destroyers is expected to join a certain destroyer detachment of the Eastern Theater Navy and may appear under the port number 158. As a result, the "East China Sea Iron Fist" will be equipped with 9 advanced 052C 052D missile destroyers, becoming one of the naval detachments with the most advanced missile destroyers.
Of course, at present, most of the destroyer detachments of the PLA Navy have been modernized, and only a certain destroyer detachment of the Navy in the Northern Theater and a certain destroyer detachment of the Navy in the Southern Theater are still equipped with a few domestically produced destroyers of the second and third generations.
The two main destroyer detachments of the Navy of the Southern Theater and the Navy of the Eastern Theater were assigned four 0.55 million ton missile destroyers, and their strength even surpassed that of the "Iron Fist Detachment".
With the commissioning of the new batch of 052D and 055 missile destroyers, the formation size of the major destroyer detachments of the Chinese Navy has generally reached 8-10 ships, or even more, and the existing strategic pattern of 6 major destroyer detachments can no longer accommodate such a large scale of new ships. It is very likely that the Chinese Navy will establish the 7th and 8th destroyer detachments, which will be further strengthened, and we are about to witness the dawn of this great era.