Type 052 Luhu Class Missile Destroyer

Last updated: 29 June 2007

The Type 052 (NATO codename: Luhu class) is the multirole missile destroyer built by Hudong Shipyard (now Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard) in Shanghai for the PLA Navy. It is China’s first modern multirole surface combatant with comprehensive surface strike, air defence, and antisubmarine warfare (ASW) capabilities. It is also the first Chinese-built warship to be fitted with sophisticated Western weapon and sensor technologies. Two hulls, 112 Harbin and 113 Qingdao were built in the early 1990s, both of which are currently serving with the PLA Navy North Sea Fleet.

In the late 1980s, the PLA Navy began to build the new generation Type 052 multirole missile destroyer as a successor to its obsolete Type 051 (Luda class). The destroyer was designed by Shanghai-based China Ship Building Institute (701 Institute) and built by Hudong Shipyard in Shanghai. Construction of the first-of-class 112 Harbin began in 1986, and the ship was launched in 1991. System installation and sea trial lasted for three years before the ship could enter the service. The delay was mainly caused by the complexity of integrating various foreign-made contents. The second hull 113 Qingdao was commissioned in 1996.

The Type 052 is the first Chinese-built surface combatant that meets modern standards. Fitted with a mixture of Chinese indigenous and Western-made weapon systems and sensors, the ship represented a great leap forward in China’s shipbuilding and defence technologies. It is the first Chinese surface combatant to be fitted with sophisticated air defence, anti-submarine warfare, electronic warfare, and C3I systems. The advanced gas turbine powerplant enables the ship to operate in deep oceans far from its homeport.

112 Harbin was first revealed to the public during the 1996 PLA exercise near the Taiwan Strait. The destroyer and two other Chinese warships made a historical visit to San Diego, CA on 21 March 1997 in the first-ever visit by People's Republic of China Navy ships to the mainland US. Between May and October 2002, a fleet comprising 113 Qingdao destroyer and 575 Taicang replenishment ship conducted the first global cruising in the PLA Navy’s history.

Despite its various improvements compared to previous Chinese-built surface combatants, the Type 052 was still behind Western- and Russian-built warships of the same age. The ship’s air defence firepower, consisting of a 13km-range Crotale/HQ-7 air defence missile launcher and four twin-37mm AAA guns, is only capable of point defence against limited number of targets. The ship’s variable depth sonar (VDS) is still inferior to the latest Western designs. Additionally, the shipborne Z-9C naval helicopter only has very limited antisubmarine warfare capability.

Both ships received mid-life modernisation upgrade in 2003/04. The original YJ-81 (C-801A) anti-ship missiles were replaced by more capable YJ-83 (C-803) variant. The original PJ-33A twin-100mm main gun was also replaced by a new design with strong radar cross-section reduction features. Currently both ships are serving with the PLA Navy North Sea Fleet based at Qingdao in Shandong Province.

The hull design of the Type 052 destroyer features certain European influence. The ship has a higher beam-length ratio which increases the stability of the ship in bad weather conditions, but sacrifices the speed performance of the ship. With a full displacement of 4,800t, the destroyer was also the largest surface warship in service with the PLA Navy when it was commissioned.

Weapons (After Modernisation Refit)

Sensors

Sonars

The Type 052 is fitted with two types of sonar systems, including the DUBV-23 (SJD-8/9) medium-frequency hull-mounted sonar for active search and attack, and the DUBV-43 (ESS-1) towed medium-frequency variable depth sonar (VDS) for active attack. The Type 052 is the first Chinese destroyer to be fitted with VDS as a standard equipment.

Command & Control

The Type 052 is the first Chinese surface combatant to have been equipped with an integrated combat data system. The ZJK-2 is a Chinese copy of the Italian Alenia Marconi Systems (now Selex Sistemi Integrati) IPN-10, which integrates the target acquisition, navigation, communications, signal processing and weapon control functions. The combat system central computer computes and evaluates the target data and allocates data to the weapon systems. The system carries out multiple target search and track, target prioritisation and automatic engagement of weapons. Other systems include two Type 630 (GDG-775) optronic directors, British-made SNTI-240 satellite communications (SATCOM), and datalink.

Electronic Countermeasures

The Type 052 has two Type 946 15-barrelled chaff/decoy launchers. Active ECM system include the Type 826C (BM-8610) intercept and jammer.

Aviation

The helicopter deck at the stern has a single landing spot for a medium size helicopter such as Harbin Z-9C. The deck is fitted with the helicopter handling system. A fully equipped hangar accommodates two helicopter.

Propulsion

The propulsion system is a combined diesel or gas turbine (CODOG) arrangement. The two ships have different configurations in their powerplants.

Harbin 112 has two GE LM2500 gas turbines rated at 55,000hp (41MW) sustained.

Qingdao 113 has two Ukraine GT25000 gas turbines rated at 48,600hp (35.7MW).

Auxiliary propulsions include two Chinese license-built German MTU 12V 1163TB83 diesels rated at 8,840 hp (6.5 MW) sustained. 2 shafts, CP props. Max speed 31 knots.

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