China Further Expands Destroyer Fleet as New Type 055 and Type 052D Ships Conduct First Exercises Facing Japan

A new Type 052D guided missile destroyer, the Xigaze, has made its public debut with its first training exercise since entering service in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy, completed combat-oriented training including joint maritime search, rescue and replenishment-at-sea, and special situation disposal training including ship damage control. Exercises were conducted jointly one the new Type 055 class destroyer Anqing, a larger type of ship which integrates many of the same technologies and the same weaponry and vertical launch system as the Type 052D class. Over 30 Type 052D destroyers are currently in service, representing close to half of the total Chinese destroyer fleet, with seven of the ships having entered service in 2026 alone. The Type 055 class destroyer fleet has meanwhile recently been expanded with the commissioning of the Anqing and its sister ship the Dongguan into service under the Eastern Theatre Command.

Having first been brought into service 12 years ago in March 2014, and six years ago in January 2020, respectively, the Type 052D class and Type 055 class destroyers are already a relatively mature designs, with their overall training procedures being well established. This experience allows ships to rapidly achieve a high combat potential shortly after entering service. As the Xigaze and the Anqing conducted their maiden maritime training together, crews of both ships reportedly trained in operating in formations of several destroyers under the Eastern Theater Command Navy in the East China Sea. The East Sea Fleet recently doubled its fleet of Type 055 class destroyers to four ships, with the vessels widely considered to be the most capable surface combat ships operating anywhere in the world. 

The Type 052D is currently being produced on a much larger scale than any other destroyer class in the world, and unlike the Type 055 class, they have been produced near continuously at a high rate since for close to 15 years. Primary weapons for both destroyers classes include the YJ-100 cruise missile with a 1000km ranges, YJ-18 anti-ship cruise missiles with Mach 3 terminal speeds and complex sea-skimming trajectories, and YJ-21 anti-ship ballistic missiles. The ships’ multi-layered air defence networks are comprised of HQ-16, HHQ-9, HHQ-10 and DK-10A surface to air missile systems. Each Type 052D and Type 055 class ship integrates 64 and 112 vertical launch cells respectively to accommodate these missiles. Destroyers play a particularly central role in the East China Fleet, which lacks either nuclear submarines or aircraft carriers due to the relatively short distances over which it operates, meaning diesel electronic submarines and land based aircraft have sufficient ranges to support operations.