Recently, the active main destroyer 052D of the Chinese Navy has begun to appear at major defense exhibitions around the world in the name of "large frigates" after 052DE. Obviously, 052D already belongs to "shelf goods" in "principle".
But how to sell?But there is a lot of exquisiteness, which can be seen from the big name of "large frigate". Today, CN Military Industry Station will simply talk about the export of 052D and the newly unveiled "youth version" 052D.
The "large frigate" exhibited at the International Defense Exhibition by the military trading company CSTC, a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Group
According to the naming convention, the appearance of the name 052DE roughly means that the Type 052D destroyer is already a "commodity" that can be used for export "in principle".
The 052D is equipped with an advanced large-scale active phased array radar and a complete range of long-range (land, sea, air, and submarine) strikes, which is quite sensitive in terms of both the advanced nature of the equipment and the lethality. If 052D can be exported, then China will become the only country in the world that has both productivity and the whole ship + supporting equipment to export destroyers, which is of great significance.
The 052D is being continuously upgraded, and it still represents the advanced technology level of our country's active ships, and considering the confidentiality factor, the export object must be a "friendly" country
But it is precisely because of its "heavyweight" that even if it can be exported, how to export it is also particular. Broadly speaking, it mainly includes the following three aspects:
Selection of export objects
052DE and its supporting ** have a strong "offensive" attribute, and such a large-scale ** export is obviously part of the country's foreign strategy. In other words, the significance and level involved in the export of 052DE have gone beyond the equipment itself, so it is not something that anyone who has the money to buy can buy if they want to.
The J-10CE fourth-and-a-half generation fighter is equipped with advanced airborne active radar and long-range air combat**, and its export significance is not ordinary
"Desensitization" processing
As mentioned earlier, 052DE has many "sensitivities", which is actually an objective fact. However, through the guidance of **, this "sensitivity" can be "reduced" to a certain extent. One of the simplest and most crude ways is to change the name, which is why the 052DE destroyer was exhibited at the defense exhibition"Large frigate".
This sounds a bit "covering your ears and stealing the bell", but the ** field and the audience are often like this, everyone just watches the fun, and the facts are irrelevant.
The destroyers of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force have always used "frigates" for packaging
Launched the "Youth Edition" 052D
As you know, according to the friendliness of customers, the need for equipment, and the understanding of equipment, it is almost a standard operation for major countries to carry out corresponding "adjustment" when exporting equipment, and it is not uncommon for some equipment to be different from each other under the same appearance. Since 052DE is ready to be exported, it will inevitably be prepared for corresponding "adjustments".
In addition to the "regular adjustments", according to the promotional materials provided by CSTC at the recent international defense exhibition, CSTC has launched the "youth version" version of the 052D design in the foreign trade market, that is, the "5000-ton frigate". From the point of view of appearance, the hull layout of the "5000-ton frigate" inherits the design of 052D, but it is much shorter, and the original 052D's meter-wave radar area and the power compartment below have been integrated and streamlined, and the 7000-ton class of 052D has been reduced to 5000-ton class.
Renderings of the "5000-ton frigate" on CSTC promotional materials
In addition to the changes in hull and power brought about by the reduction in tonnage, the shipboard equipment and ** of the "5000-ton frigate" are generally similar to those of the 052D, including a large fixed four-sided phased array radar, the same number of vertical launch units, electronic warfare equipment, main guns, close defense, torpedoes, and so on.
There are even some upgrades, such as the use of 4-sided X-band phased array radar, which replaces the original 052D's top fast reflex radar and gun-sighting radar, as well as 4-sided small fixed antennas of unknown use, and the main mast is more concise. With the current level of radar technology in our country, it is a matter of course to arrange a four-sided array radar on a ship, and as far as the "5,000-ton frigate" is concerned, it can improve its combat performance without a significant increase in cost, and optimize its navigation performance in the case of a reduction in the tonnage of the ship.
At present, although the "5000-ton frigate" may only be a conceptual design, it shows the overall level of China's defense industry, after all, behind the "youth version" 052D, it is not just a ship, but also the most cutting-edge shipboard equipment and systems. In addition, the "5000-ton frigate" also reflects the forward-looking layout of the advanced industry for market demand and complex market environment, whether it is 052DE, or "5000-ton frigate", it is only a matter of time before China exports surface combat ships at the top technical level in the future.