China’s Navy Commissions Two New Type 052DM Destroyers: How Capable Are They?

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy has received two new Type 052DM destroyers from the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company, with the vessels now serving under the Northern Theatre Command. The two warships, the Heze (number 126) and Zhumadian (number 127), were launched on March 10 and August 28, 2023, before undergoing sea trials. They are respectively assigned to the 10th and 1st Destroyer Detachments of the North Sea Fleet. The Type 052D forms the backbone of the Chinese surface fleet, and is in production on a far larger scale than any other destroyer class in thew world. Over 30 of the ships have so far been produced, with the first having entered service in 2014.

The Type 052D was the first Chinese destroyer class to be procured on a large scale, following incremental modernisation of prior classes, and provided revolutionary new capabilities. One of its most distinguishing features is its use of canister-based universal vertical launch system, similar to that seen on America, Japanese and South Korean Aegis destroyers, rather than a much less versatile revolver-type system which is common on European ships. This allows it to accommodate a much more diverse array of missile classes and to carry more missiles relative to its weight. The design has been incrementally modernised to significantly improve its capabilities, with the new Type 052DM variant being fitted with the dual-faced Type 368 X-band AESA radar on its main mast and enhanced counter-stealth capabilities. Its flight deck is also extended to allow it to operate Z-20F helicopters.

The Type 052DL is currently in production alongside the Type 052DG variant, which integrates reconfigured main mast to accommodate new electronic warfare and communication antennae among other more minor changes. The Navy is also currently procuring the much larger Type 055 Class destroyer, which compared to the Type 052D’s 7500 tons, and the Type 052DM’s 8000 tons, displaces close to 50 percent more at between 12,000 and 13,000 tons. The larger ships integrate 112 vertical launch cells, compared to the Type 052D’s 64 cells, as well as more powerful sensors including a dual band radar system. The Type 055 is widely considered by both Chinese Western sources to represent the world’s most capable class of surface combatant, although it has been produced at a much lower rate with only eight in service, and eight more planned.

The Type 052D integrates a wide array of weaponry including YJ-100 cruise missiles with a 1000km ranges, YJ-18 anti-ship cruise missiles with Mach 3 terminal speeds and complex sea-skimming trajectories, and multi-layered air defence networks comprised of HQ-16, HHQ-9, HHQ-10 and DK-10A surface to air missile systems and multiple close in weapons systems. The warships are reported to have also integrated the new YJ-21 hypersonic ballistic missile, which is widely considered the world’s most capable class of ship-launched anti-ship weapon. The Chinese destroyer class integrates six radars and two sonar systems to provide considerable situational awareness, which between them can detect adversaries over the horizon, under the sea, or near the water’s surface. The destroyer class is among the most capable in the world, although it remains uncertain how long incrementally modernised variants will continue to be developed and produced, and whether a new destroyer class will be developed as a successor within the next decade.