Experts Can’t Ignore China’s Rapid Naval Expansion
Showcasing Its Next-Generation Destroyer Again
Last month, the U.S. political publication Politico reported that the U.S. policy of expanding its presence in the Indo-Pacific region is too late to cope with China’s naval power. China is increasing its naval power to block the entry of the U.S. Navy and others into the South China Sea for supremacy, and the Chinese Navy has 340 vessels, significantly more than the U.S. Navy’s 292.
However, the qualitative difference between the two countries’ naval forces is considered a variable. But recently, Professor Sam Tangredi of the U.S. Naval War College, in his article, pointed out that “In naval warfare, a small fleet superior in quality is not the way to victory” and “Almost always, the larger fleet wins.” Given the global supply chain issues, the U.S. Navy’s power reinforcement will take some time, while the Chinese Navy has once again showcased its next-generation destroyer.
The 7th Zumwalt-class destroyer unveiled on TV
“Operational within this year”
According to the state-run Global Times, on the 22nd, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s Type 055 destroyer No. 7 was unveiled to the public for the first time since its commissioning. The ship’s name is Zunyi, and on the eve of the Lunar New Year, the crew of the Zunyi sent New Year’s greetings to the citizens of Zunyi City in southwestern Guizhou Province through the local TV program ‘Live Zunyi.’
In the video, the ship number on the side of the Zunyi’s bow was 107, and since the ship number of the previously revealed Type 055 destroyer was 10X, it is the seventh new destroyer, according to the media. The Zunyi was known to have been commissioned last October along with the 8th ship, the Shenyang, and a local military expert explained, “Considering the unusual pattern of Type 055 destroyer development, the Zunyi could reach initial operational capability within this year.”
The rapidly produced Type 055
Called a lower version of Zumwalt
The next-generation surface combatant Type 055 destroyer, considered the core power of the Chinese Navy’s aircraft carrier task force, is planned to be constructed 16 times. After the first ship was launched in 2017, all eight of the first production batch were launched within three years. The Type 055 destroyer, which will be responsible for the defense mission of the Type 002 aircraft carrier, is a 13,000-ton-class battleship with a length of 180m, a beam of 20m, and a draft of 6.6m.
Equipped with a 112-cell vertical launching system, it carries HHQ-9 surface-to-air missiles, YJ-18A anti-ship missiles, and CJ-10 cruise missiles and is equipped with a Type 346B AESA radar that has a wider detection area than the existing Type 052D. Thus, the Type 055 is considered the most advanced destroyer in the Chinese Navy. Xi Hong, the editor-in-chief of Shipborne Arms, has evaluated that “The Type 055 destroyer is the best destroyer in the world in terms of overall performance.”
“We also have to do something…”
In response to China’s naval expansion, the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force is also loosening its security budget and stepping up its efforts to secure firepower. Japan plans to deploy 22 2nd class escort ships by 2032 and introduce 14 large combat ships that can easily overpower existing Aegis destroyers. Thus, the Northeast Asian seas are becoming a battleground for high-performance warships, but our Navy seems to be not seeking any significant changes.
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