Type 052C destroyer
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| People's Republic of China |  |
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| Builders: | Jiangnan Shipyard |
| Operators: |  People's Liberation Army Navy |
| Preceding class: | Type 052B |
| Following class: | Type 051C |
| Ships in Class | |
| Ships in class: | 2 |
| Ships in active service: | Lanzhou Haikou |
| General Characteristics | |
| Class type: | Air defense destroyer |
| Displacement: | 6,500 tons |
| Length: | 154 m |
| Beam: | 17 m |
| Draught: | 6 m |
| Propulsion and power: | CODOG 57,000 shp |
| Speed: | 29 knots |
| Complement: | 280 |
| Armament: | 48 surface-to-air missiles 8 anti-ship missiles 1 dual purpose gun 2 close-in weapons systems 6 torpedo tubes 76 anti-submarine rocket tubes |
| Aircraft complement: | 1 or 2 helicopters |
| Aircraft facilities: | Stern hangar Helicopter landing platform |
The Type 052C destroyer (NATO code name Luyang II class, often referred to as Lanzhou class after the lead ship name) is a class of destroyer built by the People's Republic of China. Two Type 052C (Lanzhou class) air defence missile destroyers have been built by Jiangnan Shipyard of Shanghai for the PLA Navy. The destroyers, based on the same hull of the Type 052B (Guangzhou class) destroyer, feature an APAR-style active phased array radar system and vertically launched HQ-9 naval version long-range air defence missile system. This class represents China's first true fleet air defence capability. The first-of-class No.170 Lanzhou was commissioned in 2004, followed by the second hull No.171 Haikou in 2005.
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[edit] Programme
Following the launch of two Type 52B multirole missile destroyers in 2002, Shanghai-based Jiangnan Shipyard started to build two Type 052C destroyers based on the same hull design, but with more advanced weapon systems and sensors specifically for fleet air defence role. The first-of-class 170 Lanzhou was laid down in late 2002 and launched on 29 April 2003. The ship was commissioned in July 2004. The second ship, 171 Haikou was launched on 30 October 2003 and was scheduled to enter the service in 2005.
Unlike the Type 052B destroyer which is equipped with a mixture of Russian and indigenous systems, the Type 052C is completely based on indigenous technology (apart from a few sensors). The most notable feature is the indigenously developed four-array multifunction active phased array radar Type 348 Radar (PAR) similar to the Netherlands APAR system. Additionally, the destroyers are also fitted with the vertical launch system (VLS) for the indigenous HQ-9 long-range air defence missile system, and the latest YJ-62 (C-602) anti-ship missile, both of which are not seen on previous Chinese surface warships.
The destroyer is based on the same hull design and propulsions as the Type 052B destroyers which were launched earlier in the same shipyard. This modular approach would have saved construction time and costs. Compared to the Type 052B, the Type 052C has a much taller bridge, embedded with four fixed active phased array radar antennas on the four sides. There is a stern helicopter flight deck and a hangar to accommodate two Russian Ka-28-A or two Z-9 (Chinese version of the Eurocopter Dauphin AS 365N) ASW/SAR helicopters.
[edit] Combat system
The destroyer’s overall air defence, surface strike, and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities will largely depend on how well different weapon systems and sensors are integrated together by the combat system. Most Chinese warships use the command and control system derived from the French Thomson-CSF TAVITAC, but the Type 052C might have a newly developed system with improved processing power to engage anti-ship missile threats. Another reason for the increased processing capability is to accommodate the Ka-28 ASW helicopters which lack the onboard processing capability to process the information gathered, so the information has to be passed to the host ship for processing and then passed back to the helicopter via data links.
Although the detailed information on the combat system of the Type 052C is unknown, it is likely that the system will comprise the multifunction phased array radar system, command and decision system, battlefield display system, and weapon control system. The command and decision system receives data from ship sensors and provides command, control and threat assessment. The weapon control system receives engagement instruction from the command and decision system, selects weapons and interfaces with the weapon fire control systems.
In together with its long-range air defence missile and close-in weapon system (CIWS), the Type 052C is the first Chinese-made surface combatant with a true fleet air defence capability. The combat system will ensure that the ship can engage multiple air targets such as sea-skimming missile and aircraft simultaneously. The ship might also be able to transmit combat information to other ships and aircraft via datalink and satellite communications to form a maritime combat network.
[edit] Missiles
A total of 48 HQ-9 naval air defence missiles are carried in and launched from eight 6-cell vertical launch systems (VLS). In contrast to previous reports which suggested that the system may be based on Russian technology, the VLS onboard the Type 052C appears to be an indigenous design. Unlike the Russian-style revolver VLS, each missile launch cell of the Type 052C VLS has its own lid, but it does use the same cold-gas ignition method. The missile system utilizes the so-called ‘cold launch’, in which the missile was first ejected from the launch tube, and then ignites its rocket engine at low altitude. This launch style avoids the complex flame and gas exhausting pipes on the Western-style ‘hot launch’ VLS. In comparison to the Russian cold-launch system, the Chinese VLS eliminates the revolver design by providing a lid for every launching tube, which can independently fire the missile inside because each has a coal-gas ignition chamber directly below. The result is simplified maintenance, decreased size, weight, and cost according to the Chinese claim. Due to the elimination of the revolver mechanism, the power consumption is also reduced in comparison to the Russian revolver design according to the same claim.
The HQ-9 is China's new generation medium- to long-range, semi-active radar homing air defence missile. The missile is said to be an indigenous design while incorporating some Russian S-300 rocket technique,and there's rumours about the guidance system developed from the U.S. Patriot missile technology. The naval HQ-9 appears to be identical to the land-based variant. The are also unconfirmed reports that claim the later version of HQ-9 SAMs adopt the USA Patriot's TVM guidance technology. This seems probable, however, since the S-300 missiles employed on the Kirov and Slava class cruisers use TVM, as well.
The destroyer also carries two 4-cell YJ-85/C-805 or YJ-62/C-602 (disputed) anti-ship missile launchers installed between rear mast and the helicopter hangar. Unlike previous YJ-8X/C-80X series anti-ship missiles which are launched from box-shape launchers, the missile is launched from a new tube-shape launcher. The missiles are guided by the Band Stand radar installed on top of the bridge and a Light Bulb datalink forward of the hangar. Unconfirmed reports suggested that the missile may have a max range of 280 km, and may be supersonic at the terminal stage. The Band Stand targeting radar suggests some similarity with the 3M80 Moskit missiles used on the Sovremenny-class.
[edit] Guns
The Type 052C has two (one front, one rear) Type 730 close-in weapon system (CIWS) for short-range air defence. Two seven-barrel 30 mm Type 730 CIWS are located both sides behind the bridge. The weapon system has a maximum rate of fire of 4,600~5,800 rounds/min.
The ship has a Type 210 100 mm naval gun developed by 713 Institute on the basis of the French Creusot-Loire T100C design. The gun can be used against surface targets and air targets such as aircraft and low speed missile, with a maximum rate of fire of 90 rounds/min. The gun can be operated in fully automatic mode from the radar control system, from the shipborne optical sighting system, or laid manually. The turret design incorporates strong radar cross-section reduction features. China has indigenously developed various guided projectiles for the 100 mm gun, such as the laser guided projectiles based on the similar projectiles developed for Chinese main battle tanks, but it is highly unlikely that these guided projectiles are in service onboard the destroyer since the laser designators needed have not been observed yet. Chinese also claimed that infrared guided projectiles for the 100 mm gun was also successfully developed, but trials revealed that the rate of fire would be significantly decreased because the loading system must switch between different rounds when the guided projectiles and the unguided projectiles are mixed in the same ammunition drum.
[edit] Anti-submarine systems
The ship is fitted with two triple 324 mm Yu-7 (Mk-46 Mod 1) antisubmarine torpedo tubes. Additionally, the destroyer has four 18-barrel multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) installed on the front deck. The purpose of these MRLs remains unknown but is thought to be used to launch antisubmarine rockets, ground- attack rockets and/or decoys/chaffs.
[edit] Sensors
The ship is the first Chinese ship fitted with a multifunction active phased array radar with four antenna arrays, with a reported name Type 348 Radar. China originally imported an Ukrainian C-band active phased array radar for evaluation, but decided that the radar did not meet the Chinese requirement. Instead, China adopted a domestic S-band multifunction active phased array radar with four antenna arrays. The radar is indigenously developed by the Research Institute of Electronic Technology (also more commonly known as the 14th Institute) at Nanjing, Jiangsu province, and it is a successor to the 14th Institute's earlier indigenously developed Type H/LJG-346 SAPARS (Shipborne Active Phased Array Radar System) that was completed in 1998. Chinese discovered that the S-band adopted by the American AN/SPY-1 passive phased array could be better suited for the requirements for the active phased array radar as well. The radar has reported name of Type 348 Radar and a maximum range of 450 km, and a maximum resolution of 0.5 metres.
Ukraine provided technical expertise in integrating the active phased array radar with ESM and the anti-stealth radar with Yagi antenna, which in turn, is a successor to the earlier Type 517H-1 (NATO codename: Knife Rest) long-range 2D air search radar. This metre-wave radar operates in the VHF band and is designated as Type 517M by the Chinese. Like the Type 348 Radar, this radar is also totally indigenous, and Chinese claim that it has better performance than the similar land-based JY-27 radar, which its accuracy is 150 meters for distance, one degree for angle, and its maximum range is 330 km. Type 517M radar, in contrast, has a maximum range of 350 km, but Chinese has not released the details of its accuracy.
A Russian Band Stand fire-control radar (for anti-ship missile and for the main gun as its secondary mission) was capable of over the horizon targeting; the Type 344 Radar is installed to provide fire control for the main gun, and for the Type 730 CIWS as its secondary mission in case the locally mounted fire control radars for the CIWS malfunctioned or damaged in battles. Two locally mounted LR66/TR47C radars derived from Type 347 Radar provide fire control for the Type 730 CIWS, and although these radars are also capable of providing fire control for the main gun, it is not known if such capability has been incorporated via the combat data system. Type 364 Radar is installed in a radome for air and surface search, and this radar acts as a suppliment of the Type 348 Radar and as a provider of target information for SAM and CIWS, while also have the anti-ship missile targeting as its secondary mission.
[edit] Helicopter
The ship’s stern hangar accommodates 1~2 Kamov Ka-28 (export version of the Kamov Ka-27, NATO codename: Helix) antisubmarine warfare (ASW) helicopter, or alternatively, 2 Z-9 ASW helicopters (Chinese version of the Eurocopter Dauphin AS 365N), and both type can carry various weapons including torpedoes and depth charges. The Ka-28 helicopter can operate in all weather conditions up to 200 km from the host ship, but its onboard dipping sonar only has half the range of the Chinese copy of the French dipping sonar onboard Z-9, furthermore, it lacks the processing capabililty to process the information gathered, so the information has to be passed back to the host ship for processing via data links, while in contrast, Z-9 can process the information gathered onboard the helicopter, but with shorter range. Although the sensors and weaponry carried by both helicopters are somewhat comparable to their western counterparts, the overall capabilities as ASW platforms for these helicopters are seriously hampered due to the installation of their radars: unlike the western belly-mounted radars with 360-degree coverage, the radars for Ka-28 and Z-9 are chin-mounted and nose-mounted respectively, thus creating huge blind spots. In order to overcome these blind spots, Ka-28 and Z-9 must fly in very complicated flight patterns, resulting in significant fuel consumption, thus decreasing the endurance and range in comparison to western ASW helicopters.
[edit] Propulsion
The ship’s propulsion is in the form of CODOG, consisting of two Ukraine-made DA80/DN80 gas turbines rated at 48,600 hp and two Shaanxi diesel engines (Chinese copy of the MTU 20V956TB92) rated at 8,840 hp (6.5 MW).
[edit] Specifications
- Unit cost - Up to 800 million US$ per ship, including 200 million for CIWS, SAM, & VLS, and 400 million for C4I systems.
- Ships - DDG 170 Lanzhou and DDG 171 Haikou as of 2006
- Propulsion - 2 Ukraine DN80 gas-turbines and 2 MTU Friedrichshafen 12V 1163TB83 diesels
- Length - 153 m
- Beam - 16.5 m
- Draft - 6 m
- Displacement - 7,000 t (full load)
- Speed - 30 knots (56 km/h)
- Crew - 250 (40 officers)
- Combat Data System - H/ZBJ-1 Information processing system designed by the 704th Institute (Reported speed: > 100MBPS)
- Data link: HN-900 (Chinese equivalent of Link 11A/B, to be upgraded)
- Communication: SNTI-240 SATCOM
- Armament
- 8 large Anti-ship Missile in 2 x quad cells, possibly YJ-62 (C-602)
- 48 vertically launched HHQ-9 SAM
- 1 x 100 mm gun
- 2 x 30 mm Type 730 CIWS
- 4 x 18 barrel Multiple rocket launcher
- 2 triple 324 mm ASW torpedo tubes
- Aviation: 1 Kamov Ka-28 ASW helicopter
