The Type 051C or Luzhou Class destroyer is an air-defence guided missile destroyer built by Dalian Shipyard for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The two ship class currently serves in the North Sea Fleet of PLAN.
The principal mission of Type 051C is to provide extended range air defence for the fleet units against air strikes. The destroyer is equipped with anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare capabilities to repel surface and underwater attacks.
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The lead ship in the class, Shenyang (115), was launched in December 2004. The ship commenced sea trials in early 2006 and was commissioned in October 2006. The second and final ship, Shijiazhuang (116), was launched in 2005 for commissioning in March 2007.
Type 051C design
The hull design is based on the Type 051B (NATO codename: Luhai Class). Type 051C lacks the stealthier radar cross-section found in modern Chinese warships, but features the latest Russian-built air defence missiles systems. It has an overall length of 155m, beam of 17m and draft of 6m. Displacement of the ship is 7,100t. The ship can complement a crew of 280.
Luzhou Class missiles
The Type 051C is armed with the Russian S-300FM air defence missile system. Six vertical launching systems (VLS), two below the bow deck and four inside the aft deckhouse, house 48 ready-to-launch 48N6 missiles.
The missiles are guided by a Tombstone 3D phased-array target tracking radar. The radar can guide 12 missiles to hit six targets simultaneously.
The system can strike airborne targets within a range of 5km-150km.
There are eight YJ-83 anti-ship missiles mounted on the vessel. Using active radar homing, the missile engages surface targets within a 120km range at a speed of Mach 0.9 in sea skimming mode. The missile is powered by a turbojet engine and carries a 165kg time-delayed, semi-armour-piercing, high-explosive warhead. The YJ-83 can also be launched against land based targets.
Naval guns
The main gun fitted forward is a single-barrel 100mm gun. The gun can fire 90 rounds a minute against surface targets and air targets such as aircraft and low speed incoming missiles. The gun can be operated manually or in fully automatic mode.
Two indigenous Type 730 seven-barrel close-in weapon systems (CIWS) are fitted amid the ship on either side of the rear mast. The Type 730 CIWS can fire 4,600-5,800 rounds a minute for a maximum range of 3km. The system provides point defence against incoming anti-ship missiles and aircraft at short range.
Torpedoes
The Type 051C destroyer is fitted with two triple 324mm torpedo launchers firing Yu-7 anti-submarine torpedoes. The Yu-7 can approach submarines within a maximum range of 7.3km with a speed of 43kt. The torpedo carries a 45kg warhead.
Sensors / radars
The destroyer features a Fregat-MAE-5 (NATO codename: Top Plate) 3D air search radar operating in E-band. The radar fitted on the top of the rear mast can simultaneously track up to 40 targets. It can detect aircraft within a maximum range of 120km and incoming sea-skimming missiles within a 50km range.
The vessel is also fitted with MR36 surface search radar in a large round radome installed above the rear mast.
The Mineral-ME (NATO codename: Band Stand) over-the-horizon targeting radar is housed in a large round radome mounted atop the bridge.
The radar guides anti-ship missile and provides target designation of vessels.
Two indigenous Type 347G I-band radars onboard provide fire-control for the Type 730 CIWS.
Aircraft
The destroyer has a helicopter flight deck on the stern to allow the operations of a Kamov Ka-28 Helix helicopter.
The helicopter onboard will be equipped with anti-submarine warfare capabilities. A helicopter hangar could not be accommodated in the ship due to the large S-300F missile system.
Luzhou Class countermeasures
The Type 051C is fitted with two Type 946 15 barrelled chaff / decoy launchers. The active electronic countermeasures system integrates an interceptor and a jammer.
Propulsion
The destroyer is powered by a steam turbine propulsion system. Two indigenous steam turbine engines provide a maximum speed of 32kt to the ship.
