Titan parade
More recently, the whole world discussed the launch of the lead Chinese universal amphibious assault ship of type 075, which, we recall, was carried out on September 25, 2019. And at the end of the year, they talked about the adoption of a new Chinese aircraft carrier of the 001A project, or "Shandong". And now the inhabitants of the Celestial Empire have a new reason for pride, and we have a new topic for discussion.
On January 12, 2020, the first destroyer of Project 055 Nanchang was commissioned at the naval base of the Northern Fleet of the People's Republic of China (PLA) Navy located in Qingdao (eastern China). Recall that this ship began to be built in 2014, and launched on June 28, 2017.
From the outside, the event may seem insignificant. And really, what can one destroyer give the Chinese fleet? Especially against the background of such giants as Liaoning or Shandong. In fact, the answer lies in the details, although in this case it will not be difficult to discern them.
The fact is that the Nanchang became the largest non-aircraft-carrying warship of the Chinese fleet: in size it is second only to the aforementioned aircraft carriers Shandong and Liaoning, UDC type 075 and helicopter carriers of the Qinchenshan class (or Project 071). It is pertinent to recall that on June 6 last year, the Chinese launched the eighth such ship: now, indeed, a zeal that deserves respect.
One more illustrative example can be cited. The displacement (full) of the American Ticonderoga-class missile cruiser is 9800 tons. In turn, the displacement of the new Chinese "destroyer" is about 13 thousand tons with a ship length of about 180 meters. In other words, the Chinese destroyer is larger (or at least not less than) the American cruiser.
The Chinese were not always "sick" of gigantomania: the previous type of China's destroyers, 052D, had a displacement of 7,500 tons. Type 052C destroyers, the first of which were commissioned in 2004, have a displacement of 6,600 tons, respectively. The main part of large Chinese ships are frigates of project 054, of which more than 30 have been commissioned since 2005. The ship, depending on the version, has a displacement (total) of 3900-4500 tons. The frigate is 134 meters long.
However, the size itself (and, accordingly, the potential) of the Project 055 destroyer is not worth much. It would be appropriate to recall the American "Zamwalt" - the most powerful destroyer in the world. Which, however, due to the incredible cost, was built in a series of three ships and will not return to the project anymore. As you probably already guessed, the situation is different for the Chinese: today, in addition to the Nanchang, five such ships have already been launched.
As The Diplomat reported in 2018, the PLA fleet wants to receive eight Project 055 destroyers, but it is possible that this is just the beginning. Specialists of the GlobalSecurity.org organization, citing military expert Gu Huoping, write that the number of Type 055 destroyers can reach 16. This, of course, is less than the number of Ticonderogo built all the time (27 ships) and much less than the number of destroyers built by the Americans " Arlie Burke "(67!). However, the old "Ticonderogs" began to be actively decommissioned in 2004, and "Arlie Burke" is still significantly less than the destroyer of Project 055.
Combat potential
All this, again, does not make sense to consider outside the context of the ship's combat potential, which we, probably, because of the "glorious" Chinese tradition, do not know much about. Undoubtedly, the basis of weapons is universal vertical launchers (UVP) with 112 cells for missiles of various purposes. 64 cells of transport and launch containers are placed in front of the superstructure, another 48 cells are located in the center of the superstructure, in front of the hangar. Perhaps the comparison with the Ticonderogs is not entirely appropriate, but the cruiser, as we know, has 122 UVP cells for Tomahawk cruise missiles and SM-1 anti-aircraft missiles.
A detailed classification of the weapons of the Chinese destroyer is difficult due to the lack of confirmed data. But if you believe the English-language sources, then universal launchers can be used for the following types of missiles:
- anti-aircraft missiles HHQ-9 (possibly DK-10A);
- YJ-18 anti-ship missiles;
- long-range cruise missiles CJ-10;
- anti-submarine torpedoes.
The range of the YJ-18 anti-ship missile, according to experts, can reach 540 kilometers. The range of the CJ-10 (at least in its ground version) is estimated at about 2,000 kilometers. In addition, the ship carries one H / PJ-38 130mm artillery mount, one H / PJ-11 30mm anti-aircraft artillery system and HHQ-10 anti-aircraft guided missiles (24 cells). The ship is also capable of carrying two Changhe Z-18 medium military transport helicopters.
According to previously announced information, the power plant of the project 055 destroyer is built around the COGAG system, which is based on four QD-280 gas turbine engines with a capacity of 38 thousand horsepower each. The total power is more than 150 thousand horsepower. In addition, there are six QD-50 gas turbine generators on board. It is assumed that the speed of the destroyer will reach 30 knots (55 kilometers per hour). The crew of the ship is more than 300 people.
Two fleets
Great Britain in its best years used the principle of "equality of the British fleet to the fleets of the two strongest maritime powers combined." America is no longer in danger of realizing something like this by its own example. Last May, Popular Mechanics reported that China possesses more warships than the United States. The Chinese Navy was able to reach the number of 300 ships - 13 more than the US Navy.
And in December 2019, Chinese shipbuilders set a kind of world record: they built and launched nine destroyers for their fleet in 2019. In total, in 2019, Chinese shipyards launched 23 surface ships in the interests of the Chinese Navy, and we are talking, among other things, about rather large combat units.
And yet there is a fly in the ointment. In November 2019, the South China Morning Post reported, citing a source in the Chinese Ministry of Defense, that the Chinese aircraft carrier construction program would be frozen, and China would have four such ships in total. This looks like misinformation, but it is worth saying that the Chinese have not yet learned how to build "full-fledged" aircraft carriers: there are no launching catapults or carrier-based stealth fighters. Not much experience. But there are problems with nuclear submarines …
And what about the Project 055 destroyers? By themselves, they are not a serious enemy for the US Navy: the main tactical unit after the Second World War is precisely the aircraft carriers. Thus, the destroyer is seen in the context of the regional strengthening of the Chinese fleet, and not at all a “killer of American aircraft carriers,” as the Project 1144 Orlan cruiser was once called (and, most surprisingly, continue to be called).
