052C/052D Class Destroyers

[defenceman]

I thought it is either the 130mm (for larger boats like type 055) or 76mm. H/PJ26 is universally loved for the fire rate and maturity of the control software, here is an old video people often refer to:

Hi can you please elaborate about the gun movement up and down & side wise while firing
My thoughts are if it’s not targeting anything or it doesn’t matter in real live fire
Thank you

 

[kurutoga]

Hi can you please elaborate about the gun movement up and down & side wise while firing
My thoughts are if it’s not targeting anything or it doesn’t matter in real live fire
Thank you

It is moving based on the targeting control computer in all auto-mode. In this test maybe the coordinates are pre-programmed, or they have multiple target drones. According to the unclassified documents both this gun and the Italian 76mm can do up to 120 shells per minute in burst mode. This is a good configuration for close range naval air defense because the newer anti-ship missiles are big and hard, so sometimes the 20-40mm is a bit small. Of course the traditional guns have their limitations, that is why the 127/130/155mm is also important to use with more sophisticated munitions. This leaves 100mm less attractive.

 

[schenkus]

My understanding is that the PLAN was unsatisfied with the 100mm gun for performance reasons and opted to go with the 130mm gun for their 052Ds and the 76mm gun for the 054As.

On paper the 100mm with a supposed rate of fire of ~80 rpm sounds like a good compromise between the 76mm and the 130mm, but it seems not to work that way. Even the French are using the italian 76mm instead of the 100mm on their new ships.

 

[kurutoga]

Hi can you please elaborate about the gun movement up and down & side wise while firing
My thoughts are if it’s not targeting anything or it doesn’t matter in real live fire
Thank you

The value of the gun fast moving among targets, combined with fast fire rate, means the overall effectiveness is higher. So once the radar spots multiple targets, a 100 rpm gun that can move instantaneously with good accuracy and stability can achieve the same effectiveness as two 50rpm guns, or three 33rpm guns, at the same time with a smaller weight/volume penalty.

 

[Lethe]

Yes, you're right. Though I think by the next 15-20 years all PLAN surface combatants will have consolidated into the 76mm and 130mm guns once all the older ships are retired and the 052Cs are refitted.

15 to 20 years from now I would hope PLAN has moved onto something better...

 

[Iron Man]

15 to 20 years from now I would hope PLAN has moved onto something better...

Every surface combatant that you see in the PLAN right now that's not already 15 to 20 years old will still have 76mm and 130mm guns sitting on their decks in 15-20 years.

 

[Tam]

These pictures of Type 052C on the dry docks makes me wonder what they are in for.

December 2016. With a Project 956E on the other dock.

November 2017. That is the same dry dock on the right. It may or may not be the exact ship on the dock from the previous.

 

[schenkus]

These pictures of Type 052C on the dry docks makes me wonder what they are in for.

Could it be that they just get a new layer of anti fouling paint or some similar maintenance ?

 

[Tam]

Could it be that they just get a new layer of anti fouling paint or some similar maintenance ?

Looks to me like a list of minor things, if the stuff that's wrapped in green might be a clue.

 

[Lethe]

Every surface combatant that you see in the PLAN right now that's not already 15 to 20 years old will still have 76mm and 130mm guns sitting on their decks in 15-20 years.

Ok, but it's not "consolidation" if you phase out a couple of old types while introducing a couple of new types.