The 'Lhasa' Type 055 stealth-guided missile destroyer is in use with the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as the most advanced warship it has. The ship is compared to the US Navy Zumwalt (DDG-1000), the newest American surface combatant. Along with three Type 056A corvettes, the Lhasa will be the lead ship in planned Yellow Sea military drills.
QUAD Prepares for an Assault
Chinese broadcaster CCTV reported last May 15, when the naval exercises began; included in the drills were air-defense, anti-ship, and anti-submarine drills to familiarize the navy.
Extra practice with other types of surface warships, submarines, early-warning aircraft, and helicopters that took part in the drill to sharper skills of the sailors, reported the Eurasian Times.
The US Navy is known for next-generation warships like the Zumwalt, which is the closest match to the type 055. Lhasa was certified for service in January and the second one in its class; with 12,000 displacement tons, it is slightly lighter than the Zumwalt, noted SCMP.
A next-gen American destroyer is 15,000 tons displacement with a one-of-a-kind unique Tumblehome hull and superstructure. Its inward sloped side triangle shape lessens the radar and sonar return or is a stealth ship, cited the Business Insider.
This new Chinese destroyer is less stealth-shaped with a covered forward deck, mainmast, and bow; it hides the anchor and equipment. But it still uses an ordinary hull, nothing special.
Type 055 Stealth-Guided Missile Destroyer has 112 Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells compared to DDG-1000 80 VLS, and both ships can fire air to airship killers and missile-launched anti-submarine torpedoes.
The US destroyer is more geared to attack land targets and shoot its guns like conventional ships. But the Lhasa is equipped with more missiles that the USN still has to match.
This Chinese vessel does air defense, anti-submarine missions, and protecting carriers; the mission and bigger size are why the US calls the Lhasa a Cruiser designation.
Other Ships of the PLAN for Coastline Defense
More is, the Type 056/056A corvettes are designed and built for patrol and escort functions within 200 nautical miles of the Chinese coast in China's exclusive economic zones. Varying depth sonars are equipped on the Type 056A to identify and track underwater vehicles, mentioned the Diplomat.
Flexibility for operations of the class has a flight deck allowing the inclusion of Harbin Z-9 military helicopter; for ASW missions.
Eight of the Chinese destroyers launched from 2017 to 2020, with 70 Type 056 and 056A warships put in service early the past ten years.
Missile Drills in the Yellow Sea
The latest three-day drills were designed to put different types of warships through their paces in a complicated electromagnetic environment.
Exercise with the destroyer and corvettes (Type 055 and Type 056A) involves complexities and challenges due to many new technologies and tactics in modern naval combat, remarked Zhou Chenming. He is linked to the Yuan Wang military science and technology think tank, specializing in military matters.
Corvette operations are centered near coastal areas, not blue water operations, which the destroyer can do for blue-water or high seas combat operations.
The Type 055 Stealth-Guided Missile Destroyer is training with Type 056 is training for possible engagements with smaller Asian fleets in the Indo-Pacific.