China has launched a new 10,000-ton warship at Shanghai’s Jiangnan Shipyard.
Measuring about 180 meters long and over 20 meters wide, the new Type 055 guided-missile destroyer is the lead vessel of a new class of PLAN surface warships.
Equipped with new types of air defense, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapon systems, the new destroyer has strong capabilities of information detection, air and missile defense, and maritime target attacking.
Chinese navy is slated to receive four ships of the class divided into two groups, although some sources indicate that the PLAN could commission up to eight Type 055 ships.
The warship, featuring a stealth shaped superstructure, is fitted with two 64-cell vertical launch system capable of firing anti-ship (e.g., YJ-18) and land attack cruise missiles; as well medium and long-range air defense missiles (such as the HHQ-9).
The ship will also be armed with a 130 millimeter main gun and will be able to accommodate two Z-18 anti-submarine warfare helicopters.
The ship also boasts two Type 1130 close-in weapons systems (CIWS) and four powerful Type 346x naval active phased array radar systems for the detection of aircraft, missiles, and ships.