Chinese Type 055 guided missile destroyers are capable of firing missiles at targets in a wide variety of locations. These ships are capable of launching a variety of anti-ship, surface-to-air and surface-to-submarine missiles. A range of hull mounted sonars are available to equip the vessels. They are built to integrate with other Chinese naval forces as part of a battle group.
The Type 055 vessel is approximately 180m long and can carry more than 12,000 tons of displacement. The vessel is a large and powerful warship, which is being built by the People's Liberation Army Navy. It is a great example of both the PLA's capacity expansion and the country’s shipbuilding enterprise.
Several Type 055 Warships are currently operational. Others are in various stages of construction. The Nanchang, the first ship in the class was commissioned in January 2020. Two other ships were launched after the Nanchang's commissioning, and the fifth, sixth, and seventh ships are currently in active service.
Other Type 055 vessels are expected to enter service in the coming years, including Dalian, Lhasa, Yan'an, Wuxi, and Anshan. Li Jinwei said the Nanchang's senior commander would lead the vessel on various missions, with a particular focus on regional security. He assured that the vessel is ready for any emergency.
During recent maritime drills in China, the Type 055 destroyer from China has been under evaluation and testing. Li, the senior captain, explained that the exercise was meant to sharpen officers' skills and make it more combat-ready. After the exercise, the vessel will participate in important missions this calendar year.
Type 055 ships feature a hull-mounted, variable depth sonar system. They are also equipped a 24-cell HQ-10, short-range air defence missile launcher. A 130mm naval cannon is found at the bow. Two Changhe Z-18F helicopters are also aboard. According to western researchers, Type 055 could have a displacement around 13,000 tonnes. These estimates are not definitive and should not to be considered final.
As of now, the PLA Navy has eight Type 055s in active service, and five more are under construction. 16 more are planned. Each vessel has a maximum speed of 30k and costs more than six million yuan (US$890million). Powered by a combination of gas turbines and gas turbine propulsion systems, the Type 055's maximum power output is 28MW.
The Type 055 has a unique smoke stack which reduces radar's cross-section. This design allows for stealthy characteristics, while suppressing radars and infrared signals. Despite its obvious stealth characteristics, it is expected to carry several types of surface-to-air and land-attack cruise missiles.
In the last few years, Chinese navy's Type 055-class destroyers were also capable of conducting aggressive submarine-hunting missions. Although the ships do not have the same range as the US Navy’s Zumwalt-class stealth destructioners, they are said to be capable of tracking and spotting smaller targets.