The Project 956E and Project 956EM Sovremenny-class destroyers are four Russian-built guided-missile destroyers delivered to the People's Liberation Army Navy in two export batches. Hangzhou and Fuzhou were Project 956E ships centered on Moskit anti-ship missiles and Shtil air defense, while Taizhou and Ningbo were improved Project 956EM ships with revised combat systems, Kashtan close-in defenses, longer-range Moskit missiles, and one fewer 130 mm gun. Later Chinese refit reporting describes domestic sensors, vertical-launch HQ-16-family air defense, and YJ-12 anti-ship missiles replacing the original Russian systems on at least the first 956E pair.
The Chinese ships are best read as two Russian export batches followed by a Chinese modernization path. The first pair preserved the Project 956E layout on hulls completed for China, while the later 956EM pair incorporated more changes before delivery.
| Batch | Ships | Source-backed distinction |
|---|---|---|
| Project 956E | Hangzhou (136), Fuzhou (137) | First two Chinese deliveries, centered on Moskit anti-ship missiles and Shtil/SA-N-7 air defense before later refit reporting described domestic replacements. |
| Project 956EM | Taizhou (138), Ningbo (139) | Improved export ships; Forecast International describes longer-range 3M80MBE Moskit missiles, Kashtan CIWS, a revised combat-control system, and removal of the aft main-gun turret. |
| Modernized 956E configuration | Hangzhou and Fuzhou reported complete or returning after refit | Chinese reporting and defense press coverage describe replacement of Russian missile and electronic systems with domestic VLS, HHQ-16-family air defense, YJ-12 anti-ship missiles, and upgraded sensors. |
| Hull | Ship | Variant | Documented delivery or completion context |
|---|---|---|---|
| DDG-136 | Hangzhou | Project 956E | Forecast International says Hangzhou was delivered in December 1999 and sailed for China in March 2000. |
| DDG-137 | Fuzhou | Project 956E | Forecast International says Fuzhou followed in December 2000; Global Times later reported its return after midlife upgrade. |
| DDG-138 | Taizhou | Project 956EM | GlobalSecurity's ship list identifies Taizhou as a Project 956EM ship completed on 28 December 2005. |
| DDG-139 | Ningbo | Project 956EM | GlobalSecurity lists Ningbo as a Project 956EM ship completed in September 2006. |
Open sources split the Chinese Sovremenny export ships into an initial Project 956E pair and a later Project 956EM pair; refit reporting then distinguishes the Chinese-modernized configuration from the original Russian-delivered weapon fit.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Project 956E | First Chinese export batch | Hangzhou (DDG-136) and Fuzhou (DDG-137) were the first two Chinese Sovremenny destroyers, delivered in 1999 and 2000 with Moskit anti-ship missiles and Shtil/SA-N-7 air-defense launchers. Sources: Sovremenny - People's Liberation Army Navy, Hangzhou / Haizhou Ship List, Project 956 (Sovremenny) |
| Project 956EM | Improved Chinese export batch | Taizhou (DDG-138) and Ningbo (DDG-139) were the later improved ships; Forecast International describes Project 956EM with a new combat-control system, 3M80MBE Moskit missiles, Kashtan close-in weapon systems, and removal of the aft 130 mm turret. Sources: Project 956 (Sovremenny), Sovremenny - People's Liberation Army Navy, Hangzhou / Haizhou Ship List |
| Chinese midlife modernization | Domestic refit of the imported destroyers | 2016 imagery showed Hangzhou and Fuzhou in major refit, and 2022 reporting said Fuzhou returned with a 32-cell HHQ-16 vertical-launch fit, eight YJ-12 anti-ship missiles, and upgraded electronic systems. Sources: China's PLAN Upgrading its Project 956E Destroyers, PLA Navy's 2nd Sovremenny-class destroyer returns after upgrades |
Open sources separate the as-delivered Russian Shtil-family missile fit from later Chinese modernization with HQ-16-family vertical-launch missiles.
| Carried item | Item type | Carriage evidence |
|---|---|---|
 | Shtil-family surface-to-air missile context | RUSI describes the PLAN Sovremenny air-defense fit as 9M38 medium-range anti-air missiles launched from two aft launchers; this link uses the catalog's 9M38M1/Buk-family missile page for the original 9M38-family context rather than treating later 9M317 naval references as confirmed for these ships. |
 | HHQ-16 shipboard air-defense missile family | Global Times reported that Fuzhou returned from refit with a 32-unit vertical-launch missile system for HHQ-16 air-defense missiles in place of its original Shtil systems; Army Recognition had earlier reported VLS installation on the 956E refit path. Sources: PLA Navy's 2nd Sovremenny-class destroyer returns after upgrades, China's PLAN Upgrading its Project 956E Destroyers |
Forecast International places China's first two-ship Project 956 purchase during Premier Li Peng's December 1996 Moscow visit, providing the acquisition path for Hangzhou and Fuzhou.
Sources: Project 956 (Sovremenny)
Forecast International says Hangzhou was delivered to the Chinese Navy in December 1999 before sailing for China in March 2000.
Sources: Project 956 (Sovremenny)
Forecast International identifies Fuzhou as the second Chinese Project 956 ship and says it followed Hangzhou in December 2000.
Sources: Project 956 (Sovremenny)
GlobalSecurity's ship list places Taizhou, the first Project 956EM ship for China, as completed on 28 December 2005.
Sources: Hangzhou / Haizhou Ship List
GlobalSecurity lists Ningbo as the second Project 956EM ship and places its completion in September 2006.
Sources: Hangzhou / Haizhou Ship List
Army Recognition reported imagery of Hangzhou and Fuzhou at Zhoushan during a major refit that removed original Russian sensors and missile launchers for replacement by Chinese systems.
Sources: China's PLAN Upgrading its Project 956E Destroyers
Global Times reported that Fuzhou had returned to active service after refit with HHQ-16 vertical-launch air-defense missiles, YJ-12 anti-ship missiles, and upgraded electronic systems.
Sources: PLA Navy's 2nd Sovremenny-class destroyer returns after upgrades
