055 DDG Large Destroyer Thread
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steve_rolfe
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Umm.......i had read elsewhere, where someone had stated that 3 055's could be under construction.
My question is, regarding the photo's we have seen so far, i've presumed they were of the first 055 only, and if not, how do we know otherwise?
My question is, regarding the photo's we have seen so far, i've presumed they were of the first 055 only, and if not, how do we know otherwise?
If true then the 055 may possibly be closer to the Burke than the Zumwalt in maximum displacement, since it would be more likely that a large production run would mean that the 055 was intended to supplant the 052 series as the principle large surface combatant for the PLAN.
Well I think estimates for 055s displacement was always about between that of a Burke and Zumwalt, about 12000 tons or slightly more
Given the rest of the Navy's surface combatant force structure, I can see a large production run of 12k-13k ton full displacement destroyers making up a big part of the surface combatant orbat, say similar in number to the 7000 ton weight class destroyers currently in service, to supplement them, as well as the lower displacement 4000ton frigates.
In fact ive always thought a ratio of about 2:1:1 between frigates, medium destroyers and large destroyers would be a nice one to have.
Would you mind to explain?
1:1 ratio between medium and larger AAW combatants sounds strange at best. They either perform similar role with quantitive differences (making one redundant), or one of them gives qualitive enhancement.
Well I did say "about". maybe more precisely it would be closer to 2:1:0.8.
As for medium vs large destroyers and force structure, it is about finding a balance of cheaper, smaller, shorter endurance, less well armed capability.. vs more expensive, larger, longer endurance more well armed capability. For the Chinese Navy's future missions up to 2030 including blue water power projection and escort as well as west pac missions, I think a 48:24:20-24 mix of frigates, medium and heavy destroyers makes sense, or about 2:1:1.
The similar number of large destroyers to medium destroyers primarily is due to the greater utility of large destroyers in longer endurance escort duties vs medium destroyers but also the role that I expect large destroyers will have in commanding any task force, and also the role of large destroyers in conducting independent long endurance blue water patrols and also more intensive SAG strike roles in those sort of blue water environments. In other words, I see the role of 055 destroyers not only as "larger 052Ds" and limiting their role as an escort for carroers, but i also think they week have unique capabilities in their endurance and armament that allows them to do things that 052Ds cannot.
Of course, I'm sure there are other force structure ratios that one can come up with to make sense as well.
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I don't believe at all that a 12-13kt "destroyer" will be produced in the same numbers as a 052C/D/E destroyer. If the 055 is 12-13kt full displacement it will be a true cruiser and will fill a cruiser's role in the PLAN. If the 055 is 9-10kt full displacement it will probably be a 052C/D replacement and there will likely be no 052E, and we may yet look for an even larger displacement cruiser in the PLAN's future.
It does sound strange, and that's why I don't think this kind of ratio is going to bear out. Either the 055 is a 052C/D replacement (in terms of destroyer mass production) or it is a 052C/D/E complement (providing C&C for a battle group in the absence of or in addition to a carrier).
When it comes to modern surface combatants, the line is blurred between destroyers and cruisers. What defines a cruiser? Number of launch cells? Displacement? Role? The roles between destroyers and cruisers are largely the same, being primarily anti-air and anti-ship, with a side of shore bombardment. The only ship today that I'd argue would be a true cruiser would be the Kirov-class, with the large displacement and emphasis on anti-ship weaponry.
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