Chinese Type 055 guided missile destroyers are capable of firing missiles at targets in a wide variety of locations. These ships can launch anti-ship, surface to-air, and surface-to–submarine missiles. A range of hull mounted sonars are available to equip the vessels. They are made to work in conjunction with other Chinese naval force as part of a combat group.
A Type 055 vessel has a hull length of about 180 meters, with a displacement of over 12,000 tons. The vessel is a large, powerful warship built for 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, as well as others, are operational. In January 2020, Nanchang became the first ship in this class. The Nanchang was not the only ship to be launched. Two additional ships were also launched, and the fifth- and sixth-ranked ships are still in active service.
In the next few years, other Type 055 vessels will be in service, including those from Dalian, Yan'an and Wuxi. Li Jinwei (the Nanchang's senior captain) stated that the vessel would carry out a variety mission, with an emphasis on regional security. He assured that the vessel is ready for any emergency.
During recent maritime drills China’s Type 055 destroyer has been undergoing evaluations and testing. Li, the senior captain, explained that the exercise was meant to sharpen officers' skills and make it more combat-ready. The vessel will be participating in important missions later this year.
Type 055 ships feature a hull-mounted, variable depth sonar system. The ships are equipped with a 24-cell HQ-10 long-range air defense missile launcher and H/PJ-11 30mm close in weapon systems. At the bow of the vessel, there is a 130mm naval gun. Two Changhe Z-18F Helicopters are also onboard. According to western researchers, the Type 055 is likely to have a displacement of around 13,000 tons. However, these estimates are speculative and should not be taken as a final figure.
The PLA Navy currently has eight Type 055s, with five more in construction. There are plans for 16 more. Each vessel has a maximum speed of 30k and costs more than six million yuan (US$890million). Type 055's maximum power output comes from a mixture of gas turbines as well as gas turbine propulsion.
The Type 055 also has a smoke stack that reduces radar cross section. This design allows the ship maintain stealthy characteristics and suppress radar and infrared signal. It is expected to be equipped with several types of surface and land-attack cruise missiles, despite its stealthy characteristics.
The Chinese navy's Type 055 destroyers have also been able to conduct aggressive submarine-hunting missions in the past few years. 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.