052C/052D Class Destroyers
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
I am trying to project all the future destroyers into available or empty pennant numbers into existing destroyer squadrons. This will tell you how far you can add destroyers without adding new destroyer squadrons. I added a note for what each squadron are best known for.
1st Destroyer Squadron --- NSF
Pennant #110 to #119?
Best known for #112 Harbin and #113 Qingdao which are Type 052; #115 and #116 which are Type 051C. 117 Xining which was XJP's parade ship during the 70th anniversary celebrations belongs to this formation and recently held exercises with the Iranian Navy.
2nd Destroyer Squadron --- SSF
Pennant #160 to #169
Best known for #167 Shenzhen which is the Type 051B, #168 Guangzhou and #169 which are Type 052B. This squadron used to be the jewel of the SSF and the PLAN but has fallen into neglect when it comes to new ships. Got its first Type 052D with the 161 Hohhot last year, which is a 052D of the second batch. Successive ships will be 052DL.
3rd Destroyer Squadron --- ESF
Pennant #130 to #139
Best known for having four Sovremennys --- 136, 137, 138 and 139. Recently #131, which is a second batch 052D, made a trip to Japan for the Japanese navy celebrations in Yokosuka.
6th Destroyer Squadron --- ESF
#150 to #159?
Probably one of the busiest squadrons as they are all over the place. Best known for having four of the six Type 052C dumped into their laps. I do not know why 052C are not distributed in a more regular fashion so don't ask me. But concentrating one type in a squadron helps with logistics like the 3rd getting all the four Project 956. Recently added #156 Zibo in their ranks, which is the first Type 052DL to be in service.
9th Destroyer Squadron --- SSF
#170 to #179?
They took the crown from the 2nd as the darling of the SSF. They got the first two Type 052C, and then a quick succession of the first batch of 052D. But after #175, the squadron got a drought of new ships. #168 and #169 used to belong to the 9th but was transferred to the 2nd. This squadron has among the most photographed ships.
10th Destroyer Squadron --- NSF
#119 or #120? to #129?
I am not completely sure where the number for the 1st and the 10th Squadron begins and ends, so correct me, and subject to correction. I am not sure if #119 Guiyang or #120 Chengdu belongs to the 1st or the 10th.
This formation has a bit of infamy for being the "old man fleet" with all the Ludas that come to roost here. As the Ludas are retired, this formation is has been getting 052D, lately and is projected to get 052DL, so it may have the last laugh. This formation has been getting 2nd batch 052D and projected to get 052DL. Most of Dalian's output of 052D seems to be going here.
101 Nanchang throws a wench in the order of the destroyer pennants. The first digit "1" still signifies destroyer but which precise unit does it belong to? It is currently stationed in Qingdao which is known for being the base of the 1st Destroyer Squadron. I do not know if further 055 will take up a more regular destroyer pennant number or will continue to use "10X"
If all these pennant slots are full, that would be around 60 destroyers. 70 if 055s fill up 101 to 110.
1st Destroyer Squadron --- NSF
Pennant #110 to #119?
Best known for #112 Harbin and #113 Qingdao which are Type 052; #115 and #116 which are Type 051C. 117 Xining which was XJP's parade ship during the 70th anniversary celebrations belongs to this formation and recently held exercises with the Iranian Navy.
2nd Destroyer Squadron --- SSF
Pennant #160 to #169
Best known for #167 Shenzhen which is the Type 051B, #168 Guangzhou and #169 which are Type 052B. This squadron used to be the jewel of the SSF and the PLAN but has fallen into neglect when it comes to new ships. Got its first Type 052D with the 161 Hohhot last year, which is a 052D of the second batch. Successive ships will be 052DL.
3rd Destroyer Squadron --- ESF
Pennant #130 to #139
Best known for having four Sovremennys --- 136, 137, 138 and 139. Recently #131, which is a second batch 052D, made a trip to Japan for the Japanese navy celebrations in Yokosuka.
6th Destroyer Squadron --- ESF
#150 to #159?
Probably one of the busiest squadrons as they are all over the place. Best known for having four of the six Type 052C dumped into their laps. I do not know why 052C are not distributed in a more regular fashion so don't ask me. But concentrating one type in a squadron helps with logistics like the 3rd getting all the four Project 956. Recently added #156 Zibo in their ranks, which is the first Type 052DL to be in service.
9th Destroyer Squadron --- SSF
#170 to #179?
They took the crown from the 2nd as the darling of the SSF. They got the first two Type 052C, and then a quick succession of the first batch of 052D. But after #175, the squadron got a drought of new ships. #168 and #169 used to belong to the 9th but was transferred to the 2nd. This squadron has among the most photographed ships.
10th Destroyer Squadron --- NSF
#119 or #120? to #129?
I am not completely sure where the number for the 1st and the 10th Squadron begins and ends, so correct me, and subject to correction. I am not sure if #119 Guiyang or #120 Chengdu belongs to the 1st or the 10th.
This formation has a bit of infamy for being the "old man fleet" with all the Ludas that come to roost here. As the Ludas are retired, this formation is has been getting 052D, lately and is projected to get 052DL, so it may have the last laugh. This formation has been getting 2nd batch 052D and projected to get 052DL. Most of Dalian's output of 052D seems to be going here.
101 Nanchang throws a wench in the order of the destroyer pennants. The first digit "1" still signifies destroyer but which precise unit does it belong to? It is currently stationed in Qingdao which is known for being the base of the 1st Destroyer Squadron. I do not know if further 055 will take up a more regular destroyer pennant number or will continue to use "10X"
If all these pennant slots are full, that would be around 60 destroyers. 70 if 055s fill up 101 to 110.
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This is really good. Laying out the squadrons like. So PLAN purposely number their ships based on the Squad they are in. It seems a new will be started with #100 to #109 and then maybe more squads starting from #180 to #199
What happens when a ship switches squads? Does their number change to reflect that?
They almost never switch squads. I'm still trying to find one that did. You look at 112 Harbin and 113 Qingdao, the two Type 052. These are "old" ships from 1994. They always had those number even today, and they are still tied to the NSF. Another example is 167 Shenzhen, the sole Type 051B. She was initially deployed to the SSF, and today, after many years, after her refit, she's still with the SSF with the same unit and with the same number.
I get a bit of trouble trying to determine the boundaries of pennant numbers between units, notably the 1st Division versus the 10th Division of the NSF.
118 Urumqi Type 052D, built by Jiangnan, 1st Destroyer Squadron, NSF
119 Guiyang Type 052D, built by Dalian, 10th Division Squadron, NSF
The ZH wiki also states numbers up to 123 will go the 10th, but 124 and 125 will be back to the 1st. This is still sometime in the future so subject to predictive error.
As always, 101 Nanchang doesn't fit in all this. But once more Type 055 are commissioned, a pattern can emerge.
Frigates pennants are a mess, however. The numbers do reflect squadron assignments but its truly a mess. 57X is generally 9th Destroyer Squadron or Division which is SSF but there are 57X in the NSF.
It looks like they need 100 type 052D just to balance the number of silos that all those burkes have. We are talking about the minimum deterrent. If we factor in all those potential allies of the main adversary, then more will be needed.
I think the answer to this is to make even better ships, not to make more of the same.
My guess is long hiatus on 052 production so the navy can let 055 numbers catch up.
It looks like they are not building anymore of type 054 and type 071. Are they going to concentrate all resources on cranking out type 055?