PLAN Sovremenny DDG 136, 137, 138 & 139 Thread

[Tam]

If by removing the HQ-10 launcher it might be possible to extend the VLS space more, but we need another picture with the right angle to check this theory.

 

[timepass]

As Iron Man suggested in post # 524, IMO it will be the best possible upgrade on these babies.

They will probably just put the original gun back in. It's certainly the least expensive option. These are probably what the 136/137 and 138/139 are going to look like after their refits IMO:
View attachment 44779

 

[Tam]

This is

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.
View attachment 47604

I_H8_Y8s noticed that the HQ-10 launcher is removed from Fuzhou.

After taking a look at the picture closely, the HQ-10 launcher is on the pier along with the containers and covered with a green tarp. See the bottom area of the picture towards the small ship "13". The removal maybe temporary and might be intended to fix something along the base, which is covered in a way to show some work is going on.

 

[Tam]

Hard to say when this photo is taken, but if this came later than the previous one, then the HQ-10 is back on the Fuzhou, but the ship 138 has been moved elsewhere.

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[Hyperwarp]

Talk about snail's pace. I am beginning to wonder whether the upgrade is worth it. The only advantage over 052D and 055 is that it can fire YJ-12.

 

[Tam]

Talk about snail's pace. I am beginning to wonder whether the upgrade is worth it. The only advantage over 052D and 055 is that it can fire YJ-12.

This brings me to the question which of the two is the better missile, the YJ-12 or the YJ-18? Being able to fire YJ-12 may not be an advantage at all if the YJ-18 proved to be a better weapon, although we probably need to detail all the parameters what makes an ASM a better weapon over the other.

 

[Jiang ZeminFanboy]

Maybe yj-12 is not yet ready for VLS?

 

[Hyperwarp]

Maybe yj-12 is not yet ready for VLS?

Maybe it was never designed to be launched from VLS, unlike the YJ-18. Only the Sovs and 051B are likely to have ship-launched YJ-12. All other YJ-12 are air-launched versions.

 

[Hyperwarp]

This brings me to the question which of the two is the better missile, the YJ-12 or the YJ-18? Being able to fire YJ-12 may not be an advantage at all if the YJ-18 proved to be a better weapon, although we probably need to detail all the parameters what makes an ASM a better weapon over the other.

I remember a debate at Keypubs forum a long time ago. Some of the western commentators claimed the 3M-54E/TE was deadlier than the ASCM with all supersonic flight profile. The main subsonic stage will make the approach stealthier (especially the IR signature) and will allow it to sneak up on a ship before releasing the supersonic final stage. This should apply to the YJ-18 as well. The YJ-12 advantage might be the size of the warhead and overall range. With a 300 to 400 km range, a platform like H-6 can stay away from most ship-borne air-defense systems.

 

[Iron Man]

I'm not sure the YJ-12 needs to even be a part of the PLAN's weapons inventory. It would be simpler to streamline everything into YJ-18s for logistical reasons seeing as how it's looking like only the Sovs will be carrying these missiles.