China Launches Final Type 055 ‘Super Destroyer’ - What is Next for the Navy’s Modernisation Plans?

Chinese shipyards have launched the country’s eighth Type 055 Class heavy destroyer, with construction of the 13,000 ton warship declared complete on August 30th and expected to begin sea trails shortly. The Type 055 is widely considered the most capable surface combatant in service anywhere in the world today, and carries more armaments than any other destroyer class in the world while integrating a range of revolutionary features from dual band radars to a radar cross section reducing stealth profile. The British Think Tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) noted in a prominent paper in early 2020 regarding the Type 055’s capabilities that it “may be the most capable multi-role surface combatant currently at sea,” representing “a step change in PLAN [People’s Liberation Army Navy] abilities to mount independent long-range deployments or task-group operations.” With the Type 055 program thought to only include eight warships, it remains uncertain what the future of China’s surface fleet will look like and how soon a successor to the Type 055 Class could begin construction. 

Although the Type 055 Class program appears to be complete, its lighter counterpart Type 052D Class is expected to see several more ships launched with the 25th ship of the class also launched in August. The Type 052D integrates many of the same technologies as the Type 055 but entered service four years earlier, and is prized for its lower cost both to operate and to produce. It has been widely speculated that a the Type 055 could return to production as an enhanced new variant, possible the ‘Type 055A,’ or that the PLA could develop an entirely new class of heavy destroyer or even a cruiser to supersede it - one which could carry more missiles, larger sensors and have a stealthier profile. The possibility also remains that both programs will be pursued in parallel - and that Chinese shipyards will soon begin work on both a superior Type 055 variant and an entirely new class of heavyweight surface combatant. The capabilities of the existing fleet of Type 055 Class warships are expected to continue to be improved over the coming years, with the ships having a significant excess power capability and excess space which can facilitate integration of energy-intensive new subsystems such as laser weapons and electromagnetic railguns. The destroyers are expected to integrate new missile classes in future - possibly including a hypersonic anti-ship cruise missile similar to the Russian Zircon and a hypersonic anti-ballistic missile similar to the American SM-6.