PLA could be developing two versions of Type 055 destroyer

[Zarvan]

Concept art of the PLA's Type 055 destroyer. (Internet photo)

China could be developing two types of the Type 055 guided-missile destroyer — an anti-submarine and an air-defense model — according to the Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine based in Canada.

The April edition of the magazine made the suggestion after analyzing the latest leaked satellite images of a ground model of the Type 055, which experts believe may have been designed as the successor to the PLA Navy's highly successful Type 52D destroyer.

Based on the satellite images, the Type 055 is 19.34 meters wide, though the ship's length-side, which has only built its main gun, is yet to be finished. The distance between the main gun and the upper level structures, where vertical missile launchers will be installed, is estimated to be 16.93 m, which is particularly wide given that the typical length is around 10 m. The total length of the ship from the main gun to stern is 130 meters, while its displacement appears to be greater than 10,000 tons.

The model appears to have no helicopter pad, meaning that this version of the destroyer may only require small helicopter drones when attacking with guided missiles. Kanwa suggests that this means the Type 055 could be developed into two models, an anti-submarine version and an air-defense version.

By comparison, the total length and width of the four Type 052D destroyers currently in construction are 154 m and 16.33 m, respectively. On the other hand, the US Navy's Zumwalt-class destroyers (DDG-1000) are 182.9 m long and 24.6 m wide. The Type 055 appears to have adopted some of the DDG-1000's stealth concepts, such as using an integrated composite beam to increase the ship's inward tilt angle.

The PLA seems to be building a Chinese-version of the DDG-1000, the report said, noting that focusing on the ability to attack targets both on sea and on land would represent a major change in the PLA Navy's development strategy. The Type 055 will be able to achieve these objectives as it can fire either the YJ18 anti-ship missile or the CJ-10 land attack cruise missile from its vertical launchers.

At last year's Zhuhai Airshow in Guangdong, it was revealed that Chinese companies are developing 155-millimeter Type WS-35R/B guided missiles with a maximum range of 60 kilometers, who appear to have similar capabilities to the latest generation of US destroyer technology.

Each DDG-1000 has a total of only 80 vertical launch cells, which is believed to be sufficient given the US Navy's abundance of guided missile cruisers and destroyers. The original design was said to have included 128 cells. However, as China currently only has 10 Type 052C/D destroyers, this means that the Type 055 could have around 90-96 cells, similar to that of the US Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

Huanqiu, the Chinese-language website of the nationalistic Global Times tabloid, suggests that, based on the modelling process of the Type 052C/D destroyers, construction of the the Type 055 could take another one or two years to commence.
PLA could be developing two versions of Type 055 destroyer｜WantChinaTimes.com