You confused the cost of 052d and 055.
The cost of 052D is 3.4 billion CNY (480 million US dollars).
The cost of 055 is 6 billion CNY (850 million US dollars).
en.m.wikipedia.org
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3.4 Billion CNY (US$480 Million) is a good price per ship. I hope the PN is buying at least 6, so that in a three ship rotation, at least two can be available for the missions of defending the coast and for defending the SLOC between the Karachi/Gwadar and East Africa. It will return some regional balance in the surface naval domain.
I just hope they use quad packing with 80-100 km range missiles on at least a quarter of the VLS. The VLS are larger, so 64 VLS should be adequate, so hopefully the HQ-9BE will be used and retain at least a 280 km range, allowing the PN to shoot down any planes trying to launch against it, as well as deal with missile salvos.
With this kind of mix the ship could easily have over a hundred air defense missiles, and still have room for a potent mix of YJ-21E, YJ-18E, and Anti-submarine torpedo missiles. Taking the fight to the enemy if need be. (A Potential load out could be 80 medium (50-80 km) missiles over 20 cells, 24 HQ-9BE, 24 HQ-10 for a total of 128 air defense missiles, with a further 16 JY-21E, 8 YJ-18E, 4 Rocket Assisted Torpedo systems for offensive action, potent indeed for a 7500 ton warship)
Hopefully they will add an integrated mast, similar to the Type 055; of four panels of X band radars as well as to house Eo/IR sensors, and all comms/EW equipment. Minimizing emissions and signatures as well as increasing situational awareness against sea skimming threats.
If coupled with the YJ-21E, it will be a fitting answer to India’s 300/600/800 km Brahmos missile(s)
Six of these destroyers in the PN would also mean enough local infrastructure to maintain them, making PLAN port visits for repairs/maintenance more possible, similar to what has been done for the Type 054A/P.
This year’s Zhuhai air show is going to be interesting.
