China Intensifies Destroyer Operations Around Japan as New Type 055 Class Plays Increasingly Central Role

The Japanese Ministry of Defence’s Joint Staff has reported ten cases of Chinese naval activities and one update on China-Russia joint aircraft activity during a 7-day period from June 25 to July 1, as operations by Chinese warships in international straits around Japan have intensified. Multiple batches of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warships recently transited international straits around Japan before entering the Western Pacific, with five separate updates on these transits published on June 29 alone. These include both individual warships sailing to and from the open ocean, and full naval formations conducting far-sea training, with the separate transits of the Type 055 destroyers Nanchang and Dongguan being among the most notable. 

At 13,000 tons, the Type 055 is the largest class of surface combatant in the PLA and is widely considered the most capable destroyer in the world. A report by the British defence think tank IISS indicated that the ship represented “a step change in PLAN [PLA Navy] abilities to mount independent long-range deployments or task-group operations,” and “may be the most capable multi-role surface combatant currently at sea,” surpassing even heavier cruiser sized ships. With each integrating 112 vertical launch cells, they have significantly more firepower than U.S. and Japanese destroyers such as the Arleigh Burke class and Maya class, which both integrate just 96 cells. The Type 055’s advanced capabilities, and the limited modernisation potential of the Arleigh Burke class, are considered primary factors leading the U.S. Navy to accelerate work on a next generation destroyer program. 

The high intensity of transits by Type 055 destroyers, lighter Type 052D and Type 052C class destroyers, and Type 054A class frigates, through the straits around Japan, was assessed by Chinese analysts to “demonstrate the PLA Navy's comprehensive far-sea offensive and defensive capabilities.” Analysts particularly highlighted that the Dongguan has already been deployed for combat-oriented far-sea training despite only being commissioned into service in March. China notably relies heavily on the international waterways of the Osumi Strait, Tsushima Strait and Miyako Strait to deploy warships to the Pacific, which has made influence over Japan and basing rights there highly valued by Western Bloc states. 

A significant advantage of the Type 055 over rival destroyer classes is its integration of a dual band radar system, with the U.S. having sought to integrate such a system onto its Zumwalt class destroyers but been unsuccessful. Such radars provide a particularly high degree of situational awareness, including over-the-horizon detection capabilities. The PLA Navy was confirmed for the first time in May to have integrated a Type 055 class destroyer with a KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) system, highlighting the significant situational awareness advantage provided by China’s fielding of by far the world’s largest modern fleet of medium and heavyweight AEW&Cs. This complements the particularly wide range of advanced cruise and ballistic missile types the destroyers can integrate, and can support targeting at very long ranges using missiles like the YJ-20 and YJ-100.