Its an obvious inference rather than a rumour, and i do hope it materializes..
055 DDG Large Destroyer Thread
- Thread starter FarkTypeSoldier
- Start date
- Status
PLAN's budget was close to zero between early 80s and late 90s to make way for economic development. Most of the ships in PLAN today entered service in 70s and 80s. Those rust buckets aren't too far from turning into Swiss cheese. A warship is equivalent to an army squadron or even a battalion. They need functioning ships to maintain sailors' combat readiness. That's why they're currently building ships like there's no tomorrow.
The designation is the clue. It’s designed as DDG, same as the 052. Just like the 052 were designated the same as the 051s before them.
USN most likely designated them CGs to try and prevent unfavorable comparisons with their own DDGs.
8 055 means 4x for every carrier group, more than enough to be the main escort. Maybe the first batch is meant to be 3x escorts tagged to each carrier and 2 free ships to lead surface task forces.
Though, 3 052D were also launched in 2018, the same number as 055s launched. This means that PLAN might yet have a specific role for the 052 series. It’s just speculation at this point but they could potentially replace the 054 as the PLAN frigate since no new 054 variants have been sighted.
Last edited:
antiterror13
Brigadier
more likely only 1 055 to escort a carrier group (max 2), together with 2x 052D and 2x 054A and 1-2 SSN
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
Or a SAG with 4 x Type 055 with a fast Type 901 tanker
This is the best way-not carrying too many types of fuel.
Why? It’s as idiotic as USN groups starting to use 1x Burke and 2x Spruance.
3x 055 and 2x 052D is more realistic. China has two carriers and there are eight 055. What would the remaining six 055s do if only one 055 goes to each carrier?
Last edited by a moderator:
The 055 is more comparable to Ticons. Moreover it is not moronic considering the two current Chinese carriers are 1 operational and 1 near-operational, while the first batch of 4 055s can only be ready ~2019-2020. The following 4 are further down the road. When they have 8 operational 055s, they will probably also have 3 operational carriers plus another one that's near-operational or launched.
The PLAN is apparently not too interested to drastically beef up escort surface ships in its peacetime carrier groups. Try to consider the past composition of the Liaoning's escorts.
That will be awesome to see but is almost surely not what the PLAN has in mind.
- Status