The Luyang-III-class, Type 052D, guided-missile destroyers are being built by Changxingdao-Jiangnan Shipyard (JNCX) and Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company (DSIC) for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The Type 052D-class is preceded by the Type 052C destroyer.
The first vessel in class, Kunming (DDG-172), was launched in August 2012 and commissioned in March 2014. It was followed by Changsha (DD-173), which was launched in December 2012 and commissioned in August 2015.
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Hefei (DDG-174), the third vessel in class, was launched in July 2013 and commissioned in December 2015. Yinchuan (DDG-175) was launched in March 2014 and appointed in July 2016.
Xining (DDG-117) was launched in August 2014 and was commissioned with China’s North Sea Fleet in January 2017. The sixth destroyer in the series, Ürümqi (DDG-118), was launched in December 2014 and scheduled to be commissioned later in 2017.
Guiyang (DDG-119) was launched in November 2015 for commissioning in 2018, while Xiamen (DDG-154) was launched in July 2015 and scheduled to be commissioned in November 2017.
The remaining vessels in the class, DDG-120, DDG-155, DDG-156 and DDG-157, are under construction and scheduled for commissioning between 2018 and 2019.
Type 052D destroyer design and features
The Type 052D incorporates improved design, as well as sensors and weapons fit. Its layout slightly differs from that of the earlier Type 052C class, as its superstructure inclines inward at a greater angle for reduced radar cross-section.
The helideck on the aft of the hull can accommodate a single Kamov Ka-28 or Harbin Z-9C helicopter. The destroyer houses a hangar facility for embarked helicopters. On either side of the helicopter hangar is an enclosed boat/raft launching system. The destroyer also integrates a new joint service integrated data link system (JSIDLS).
The guided-missile destroyer has a length of 156m, beam of 18m and draft of 6.5m. The full load displacement of the vessel is 7,500t. The destroyer is manned by a crew of 280.
Luyang-III-class weapon systems
The Type 052D destroyer is mounted with a multi-purpose vertical launch system for firing CJ-10 land-attack cruise missiles, HHQ-9 series long-range surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), HQ-16 and DK-10A medium-range SAMs, YJ-18/YJ-83 anti-ship missiles, as well as CY-5 series anti-submarine missiles.
The destroyer also integrates two Type 7424B triple torpedo tubes for launching Yu-7 torpedoes and four 18-tube launchers for firing decoy rockets.
The main gun fitted on the bow deck is an H/PJ-38 130mm single barrel naval gun developed by the Zhengzhou Mechanical-Electrical Engineering Research Institute.
The vessel is also armed with an H/PJ-12 30mm close-in weapon system (CIWS), which can fire at a rate of 10,000 rounds a minute.
Sensors/radars
The Type 052D destroyers are equipped with four Type 346A multifunction active phased array radar, including a Type 364 altitude and surface search radar, a Type 366 surface search and targeting radar, a Type 517H air-search radar, a Type 760 navigation radar, a Type 349A fire-control radar, and a Type 754 helicopter control radar.
The sensors suite also includes MGK-335MS-E hull-mounted sonar, towed array sonar (TAS), variable depth sonar (VDS), Type IR-17 optronic system and jammers.
Propulsion of Luyang-III-class
The destroyers are equipped with a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion system integrating two QC-280 gas turbines and two MTU 20V 956TB92 diesel engines. Each gas turbine generates a power output of 28MW, while each diesel engine develops a maximum power of 6MW.
The vessel employs diesel engines for economical low-speed cruising, while the gas turbines are used for high-speed cruising. The propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 30k.
