scorecard
  1. Home
  2. life
  3. news
  4. Take a look at China's biggest destroyer, a $920 million cruiser that's said to be the 2nd most powerful in the world after the USS Zumwalt

Take a look at China's biggest destroyer, a $920 million cruiser that's said to be the 2nd most powerful in the world after the USS Zumwalt

Take a look at China's biggest destroyer, a $920 million cruiser that's said to be the 2nd most powerful in the world after the USS Zumwalt
The Type 055 and the USS Zumwalt.Sun Zifa/China News Service/U.S. Navy/General Dynamics Bath Iron Works/Getty Images
  • China has the biggest navy in the world in terms of number of vessels.
  • The Type 055 is the biggest destroyer class in China's People's Liberation Army Navy.

China has the world's largest navy in terms of total number of vessels. The Type 055 is the biggest destroyer class in China's People's Liberation Army Navy.

China has the world
The Nanchang (101) destroyer.      Sun Zifa/China News Service/Getty Images

China's navy has 355 vessels, outnumbering the US Navy's 297 vessels.

China State Shipbuilding Corp. began building its biggest vessel — the Type 055 — in 2014. The Type 055 destroyers have been in service since 2020.

The class of destroyers is also known as Renhai-class cruisers. As a multirole warship, it's equipped with weapons to counter missiles, ships, and submarines, according to the South China Morning Post.

Today, there are six of them in service, though the Chinese navy has said it plans to expand the class to a fleet of 16 ships.

Several military experts told the Global Times, a Chinese state media outlet, that the destroyer's role was to deter foreign intervention in case China conducted a military attack on Taiwan.

Chinese media has touted the ship as the second most powerful destroyer in the world after the USS Zumwalt.

Chinese media has touted the ship as the second most powerful destroyer in the world after the USS Zumwalt.
China's type 055 guided-missile destroyer Nanchang.      Sun Zifa/China News Service/Getty Images

The Zumwalt is the largest destroyer in the world, with a displacement of 15,995 metric tons. The Type 055 is slightly lighter at 12,000 to 13,000 metric tons.

Unlike the American-made USS Zumwalt, which is focused on land attacks, the Type 055 is an amphibious assault ship, according to the SCMP.

And while the Zumwalt has been called a "failed ship concept" after being plagued with equipment issues, the Type 055 has been hailed "the world's most potent warship" for its long-range firepower.

The Type 055 destroyers are also equipped with railgun technologies, state-run outlet China Daily reported.

There are six ships in the Type 055 class.

There are six ships in the Type 055 class.
Nanchang (101) destroyer in April 2019.      Mark Schiefelbein/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

The first ship in the class, the Nanchang (pennant number 101), was launched in June 2017 and commissioned in January 2020. Five more have since been deployed in active service: the Lhasa (102), Anshan (104), Wuxi (107), Dalian (105), and Yan'an (106), according to the geopolitical publication SpecialEurasia.

The ships are part of China's Northern Theater Command, which encompasses Mongolia, Russian Siberia, and Korea, as well as the Southern Theater Command, which encompasses the South China Sea and Southeast Asia, according to SpecialEurasia.

The massive ships are powered by six turbine generators, according to The Diplomat.

The massive ships are powered by six turbine generators, according to The Diplomat.
The first Type 055 Nanchang (101) guided-missile destroyer.      Xinhua/Li Tang/Getty Images

The ships use four gas turbines that generate a total of 150,000 horsepower. They have a cruising speed of 30 knots, or 56 kph. The ships can accommodate over 300 crew on board.

Lhasa, the second ship in the class, was seen sailing as far as the Sea of Japan in June, Global Times reported.

The ships cost 6 billion Chinese yuan, or $920 million, per unit, according to the SCMP, which makes them far less expensive than the USS Zumwalt.

The ships cost 6 billion Chinese yuan, or $920 million, per unit, according to the SCMP, which makes them far less expensive than the USS Zumwalt.
The Nanchang.      Mark Schiefelbein/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

One Zumwalt unit costs the US Navy $7 billion, according to Foreign Policy.

While the Type 055 is less expensive than its American counterpart, it costs more than other notable Chinese vessels. According to the SCMP, the Chinese navy's Type 054D, which was once its prized class of warships, cost half the price of Type 055 vessels. The Type 055 represents a "major qualitative leap" for China in terms of developing top-notch surface combatants, per a 2020 report by the US Naval War College.

The Type 055 has advanced stealth capabilities, according to Global Times.

The Type 055 has advanced stealth capabilities, according to Global Times.
The Nanchang.      Mark Schiefelbein/Pool/AFP/Getty Images

The Type 055 has dual-band radar systems: Type 346B Dragon Eye. In comparison, the Zumwalt had "crippling downgrades" in terms of radar technology, per National Interest.

In addition to advanced radars, the Type 055 has torpedoes and can carry two helicopters: the Harbin Z-9 and the Changhe Z-18.

READ MORE ARTICLES ON


Popular Right Now




Advertisement