Naval Systems

Type 055 / Renhai-class destroyer

The Type 055, also called the Renhai class, is a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer class built as a large multirole surface combatant. Open-source references describe it as a 180-meter ship with a 112-cell vertical launch system, carrier-escort air-defense role, and enough size and sensor capacity that NATO and U.S. references often compare it to a cruiser.

Specifications

Length
180 m
Beam
20 m
Draft
6.6 m
Top speed
30 knots
Crew
About 300
Main gun
1 x 130 mm naval gun
Vertical launch system
112 universal VLS cells
Primary air-defense missiles
HHQ-9 family
Anti-ship missiles
YJ-18 family

Service And Conflict Use

Service History

In service
First ship commissioned in January 2020; the class was described as having eight ships in active service by April 2023, with additional hulls launched later.
Used by
People's Liberation Army Navy

Timeline

Type 055 / Renhai-class destroyer Key Events

  1. Class development begins

    Open-source references place the start of Type 055 class development in 2014, with the first ship laid down that year.

    Sources: Category:Type 055 destroyer

  2. First ship commissioned

    Nanchang, the first Type 055 destroyer, entered service with the PLA Navy.

    Sources: The eighth Type 055 destroyer officially commissioned to PLA Navy

  3. Eight ships reported in active service

    Naval News reported that eight Type 055 destroyers were in active service and that the first batch had been completed.

    Sources: China Now has 8 Type 055 Destroyers in Active Service

  4. Tenth hull launched

    Naval News reported that China launched a 10th Type 055 vessel and continued production at Dagushan.

    Sources: Type 055 Archives - Naval News

Type 055 / Renhai-class destroyer Images

Related Weapon Systems

Type 051B / Luhai-class destroyer, Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer class, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsType 051B / Luhai-class destroyerChinese People's Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer classThe Type 051B, also called the Luhai class, is a single-ship Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer class built around the destroyer Shenzhen (DDG 167). Open references describe it as an experimental, modular design from Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company, intended to improve Chinese experience with stealthier construction, fleet command-and-control, and modern naval systems before later PLAN destroyer families matured.

Sources