Type 052B Luyang Class Missile Destroyer

Last updated: 30 June 2008

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The front view of the Type 052B Luyang class (Chinese Internet)

The PLA Navy received two Type 052B (NATO reporting name: Luyang class) multirole missile destroyers in 2004. These vessels, built by the Shanghai-based Jiangnan Shipyard (Group) Corporation, feature combination of indigenous and Russian-made systems for enhanced capabilities over predecessor surface combatants of the PLA Navy. The destroyers are primarily tasked with anti-surface and anti-submarine operations, but they could also contribute to the fleet air defence role.

Construction of the first-of-class, Guangzhou (hull No.168), began in early 2000 and the vessel was launched on 23 May 2002. It had been stationed at Jiangnan Shipyard since then for system installations. The sea trial began in May 2003, and the vessel was officially commissioned by the PLA Navy on 15 July 2004. The second hull Wuhan (hull No.169) was launched in January 2003 and commissioned in late 2004. Both vessels are being deployed by the 9th Destroyer Flotilla of the PLA Navy South Sea Fleet (SSF).

	The stern view of the Type 052B Luyang class (Chinese Internet)

The Type 052B’s differs significantly to the European-influenced surface combatants commissioned by the PLA Navy in the 1990s. The destroyer is comparable in size and capabilities to the Russian Project 956 Sovremenny class, with similar systems fitted. Russian contributions to the Type 052B include the 9M317 Shtil (NATO reporting name: SA-N-12 Grizzly) medium-range air defence missile, MR90 (Front Dome) SAM fire-control radar, Fregat-MAE-5 (Top Plate) 3D air/surface search radar, and Mineral-ME (Band Stand) ASCM supporting datalink. Additionally, the vessel is powered by two Ukraine-made DA80/DN80 gas turbines.

Design

The Type 052B has a full displacement of 5,850 tonnes. The vessel’s hull design incorporates strong radar signature reduction features such as the sloped sides and reduced external features. The hull surface is coated in radar-absorbent paint. The funnel also has cooling devices to reduce the ship’s infrared feature. The ships has a stern flight deck and a helicopter hanger to accommodate one Ka-28 ASW helicopter.

	Type 052B firing the 9M317/SA-N-12 air-defence missile (Chinese Internet)

Missiles

The Type 052B is equipped with two Russian-made surface-to-air missile launchers, one located on the bow deck behind the 100mm main gun, and one on top of the helicopter hanger. The launchers can fire the 9M317 Shtil / SA-N-12 Grizzly semi-active radar-homing, medium-range air defence missile, with 48 missiles carried onboard. The missile’s maximum range is 38km against aircraft and 20km against anti-ship cruise missile.

The destroyer is armed with sixteen YJ-83 subsonic sea-skimming anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM). Four quadruple launchers are installed at the mid-ship position. The missile uses active radar-homing to deliver a 165kg warhead to a range in excess of 180km.

Guns

	The 100m main gun and six-barrelled ASW rocket launcher on the bow deck (Chinese Internet)

The main gun on the bow deck is an indigenous single-barrel 100mm 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.

There are two indigenous Type 730 close-in weapon systems (CIWS) installed at the mid-ship position on either side of the bridge. The seven barrels of the Type 730 provides a firing rate of 4,600~5,800 rounds/minute and a maximum firing range of 3,000m. Each CIWS has its own independent power-supply,  as well as a Type 347G (EFR-1) fire-control radar (6km detection range against airborne targets of RCS 0.1m2) and an electro-optic director (5~6km tracking range).

Anti-Submarine Warfare

The Type 052B has two triple 324mm torpedo launchers (B.515S copy) for the Yu-7 (Mk-46 Mod 1) active/passive acoustic-homing anti-submarine torpedoes. The Yu-7 carries a 45kg warhead and has a maximum range of 7.3km and a maximum speed of 28 knots. The depth of search/attack is 6~400m.

	The Type 052B is equipped with Russian-made sensors (Chinese Internet)

There are two Type 87 six-barrel 240mm antisubmarine rocket launchers, with 36 rounds. The rocket has a maximum range of 1,200m and is armed with a 34kg warhead.

Sensors

The Russian-made Fregat-MAE-5 (NATO reporting name: Top Plate) 3D air search radar, operating at E-band, is mounted at the top of the forward mast. The radar has a maximum detect range of 230km to aircraft and 50km to sea-skimming missile, and possesses the capability of tracking 40 targets simultaneously. There is also a large round radome mounted at the top of the rear mast, possibly housing a MR36 (Type 346?) surface search radar.

Four MR90 (NATO reporting name: Front Dome) F-band radars (two at the top of the bridge, two on the roof of the helicopter hanger) developed by the Russian Altair Marine Radio-Electronics Research Institute JSC provide guidance for the 9M317 Shtil / SA-N-12 Grizzly SAM. Each radar can provide two channels to guide two missiles simultaneously.

An indigenous Type 344 (MR34) fire-control radar operating at I/J-band is mounted at the top of bridge immediately in front of the forward mast to provide fire-control for the 100mm main gun.

A large A large round radome installed on top of the bridge houses the Mineral-ME (NATO reporting name: Band Stand) datalink that provides the YJ-83 ASCM control and over-the-horizon radar acquisition and target designation of surface ships.

	Type 052B launching chaffs in exercise (Chinese Internet)

The Type 052B is fitted with a hull-mounted medium-frequency sonar for active/passive search and attack.

Countermeasures

The destroyer’s countermeasures suite  include active/passive jamming ECM systems and four Type 726-4 18-barrelled 122mm decoy launchers for chaffs and infrared flares.

Combat Data System

The ZJK-5 combat system onboard the Type 052B is thought to be an improved variant of the Type ZJK-4-3A of the Type 051B. The ZJK-5 is based on the MIL-1553B military data bus and the 100Mbps Ethernet technology. The multi-channel defence suite is capable of engaging several targets simultaneously. The vessel also has satellite communications (SATCOM) and Link 11 secure tactical data link.

	The ZJK-5 combat data system of the Type 052B (CCTV)

Aviation

The destroyer’s stern hanger accommodates one Kamov Ka-28 (NATO codename: Helix) antisubmarine warfare (ASW) helicopter. Carrying various weapons including torpedoes and deep charges, the helicopter can operate in all weather conditions up to 200km from the host ship. Alternatively, the destroyer can carry an indigenous Z-9C helicopter.

Propulsion

The Type 052C’s propulsion is in the form of CODOG, consisting of two Ukraine-made DA80/DN80 gas turbines rated at 48,600hp and two Shaanxi diesels (Chinese copy of the MTU 20V956TB92) rated at 8,840hp (6.5 MW), giving a maximum speed of 29 knots.

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