A photo of the Chinese destroyer ship Shenzhen in a naval exercise. (Photo : www.newsgd.com)
China is currently building a Type 055 guided-missile destroyer, believed to be the largest surface combat vessel China has ever built, which is bigger and probably more powerful than the United States’ Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, according to Strategy Page, a U.S.-based website that deals with global defense issues.
The Type 055 is much closer to a cruiser than a destroyer with a displacement of 12,000 tons. It will be the largest vessel ever built by China, next to the Liaoning aircraft carrier which was refitted from a hulk purchased from Ukraine.
The Chinese government claims that the Type 055, which is equipped with 128 vertical launch tubes, would be the counterpart of a U.S. Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer built around the Aegis Combat System, albeit more powerful that the U.S. equivalent.
However, compared to the current Type 052D guided-missile destroyer, the Type 055 looks more like the real "Chinese Aegis," the report said.
Not only larger than the 8,300-ton Arleigh Burke-class, the Type 055 can also surpasses the class in combat capabilities, according to Strategy Page.
The development of a series of advanced warships dubbed the "Chinese Aegis" was started by China back in 2003 and the PLA Navy has commissioned two Type 052B and six Type 052C destroyers since then.
According to the site, the country is now planning to add six more Type 052D destroyers, five of which have already been built.
Only one Type 052D is currently in service, which is a 7,500-ton guided-missile destroyer than can release air-defense, cruise and anti-ship missiles from its vertical launch systems. It is also equipped with a 130-mm gun and six torpedo tubes that can attack enemy submarines and two close-in weapon systems to meet and counter incoming missiles.
