 |
| Type 055 Cruiser mockup via Sino-Defense |
I got a note from a reader about the concept art of the Type 055 Cruiser that I posted. Needless to say, it was WRONG! Check out what he had to say....
In any case, the wikipedia page for the 055 has a fairly accurate summary of what the 055 is probably going to be, with a reasonably accurate drawing of what 055 may look like. It'll be a 12,000 ton standard displacement (so likely over 13,000 ton full) "la rge destroyer" aka cruiser. We're expecting three sets of phased array radars in the S band, X band and possibly L or UHF band, along with up to 128 VLS.128 vertical launch cells...oh and remember, the Chinese are quad packing just like everyone else. S band, X band and possibly L or UHF band. Sounds like a stealth killer to me.
In role it is probably best compared to a modernized CGBL or Ticonderoga, and in displacement it sits between Tico and Zumwalt.
It is expected that there will be initial production of a baseline 055, followed by a more larger scale production of a modified 055A that may feature IEPS and similarly to DDG1000 class, have the capacity to field railguns and DEW aboard.
The Chinese are building a predator.
A real deal heavy cruiser by the definition of days past...a battleship today. If you haven't already, I recommend you head over to the SinoDefenseForum and monitor the conversation being had by the China watchers. I've already added it to my daily sweep of the internet. Below is a "more accurate" concept drawing of the Type 055.
Now, this one look's much more realistic. Classic hull, nothing too fancy, part of hull definitely inspired by Álvaro de Bazán. A predator indeed.
ReplyDeleteThe more I look at Chinese surface assets the more I feel the US can corner them with their advanced submarines and expert submariners, that is if the US maintains their tradition of having a kickass Submarine branch. Did you know that there is a submarine launched version of the BrahMos as well ? Imagine a more refined and longer ranged or faster version of this missile being launched from a US Submarine. And the US then swamping the South China sea with such equipped attack subs.
ReplyDeleteThat will provide more than enough doctrinal guidance to all surrounding China to also bolster their own Submarine arms with killer boats. They dont have to be big submarines the size of Soryu's or Scorpenes.....just enough to bottleneck the Chinese in that concentrated bit of water that we call the South China Sea.