Naval Systems

Type 055 / Renhai-class destroyer

Also known as
  • Type 055 destroyer
  • Renhai-class
  • Renhai-class cruiser
  • Type 055 guided-missile destroyer
  • Type 055 guided missile 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 for carrier escort, surface-action-group command, air defense, and missile strike missions. Public evidence ties the class to the 2022 Taiwan Strait crisis exercises and South China Sea disputed-feature patrols, while open naval references emphasize its 180-meter hull, 112-cell universal vertical launch system, Type 346B sensor fit, and cruiser-like magazine and command capacity.

Type 055 / Renhai-class destroyer, Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer or cruiser class, Naval Systems
Image source: PLANS Nanchang (DDG-101) 20210823.jpg

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
China
Type
Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer or cruiser class
Service note
In service from 2020
Produced
2014-present
Number built
10 publicly identified in service by March 2026; additional hulls reported under construction

Specifications

Length
180 m
Beam
20 m
Draft
6.6 m
Full-load displacement
Approximately 12,000-13,000 tons in open references
Top speed
30 knots
Crew
About 300
Main gun
1 x 130 mm H/PJ-45-family naval gun
Vertical launch system
112 universal VLS cells, usually described as 64 forward and 48 aft
Primary air-defense missiles
HHQ-9 / HQ-9 family naval surface-to-air missiles
Anti-ship missiles
YJ-18 family anti-ship cruise missiles and reported later anti-ship ballistic missile fits
Primary radar
Type 346B active electronically scanned array radar in open-source assessments
Aviation facilities
Stern flight deck and hangar space for two medium helicopters
Combat System Notes

The Type 055 is treated in Western naval references as a destroyer-sized PLAN designation with cruiser-like magazine depth and command capacity. Open sources consistently emphasize the combination of a 112-cell universal VLS, large phased-array radar faces, long-range air-defense missiles, anti-ship weapons, point-defense systems, and a two-helicopter aviation fit.

Air-defense role

CMSI and USNI describe the class as a carrier-escort and battle-group air-defense platform, with the missile load and radar fit allowing it to protect high-value PLAN groups rather than only act as an independent destroyer.

Strike role

Open reporting describes the universal launch system as compatible with anti-ship and land-attack weapons, making the class relevant to surface-action-group command and long-range maritime deterrence.

Production note

Public reporting identifies Jiangnan and Dalian as the principal builders; first-batch and second-batch labels are useful production groupings, not confirmed formal variant names.

Variants

Public sources usually discuss Type 055 production in batches rather than formal variant names; second-batch designations and Type 055A labels remain open-source or analyst shorthand unless the PLA confirms them.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
First batchInitial eight-ship production group

Naval News reported that the first batch was complete at eight ships, split between Dalian and Jiangnan construction and assigned to northern and southern fleet commands.

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

Second batchFollow-on production group

Dongguan and Anqing were publicly unveiled in 2026 and assigned to the Eastern Theater Command; public sources describe them as the first ships beyond the original eight, while final batch size remains undisclosed.

Sources: China unveils two new missile-guided destroyers to join PLA Navy Fleet, Chinese Navy's New Type 055 Destroyers Join Taiwan-focused Command

Missiles Launched

The Type 055's universal vertical launch system is described in open naval references as carrying long-range air-defense and anti-ship missile families.

Launched itemItem typeLaunch evidence
HQ-9, Long-range surface-to-air missile system, Air DefenseHQ-9Naval surface-to-air missile family

USNI describes Type 055 vertical launch cells as carrying HHQ-9B surface-to-air missiles, the naval branch of the HQ-9 family represented by the linked catalog entry.

Sources: Type 055 Renhai-class Cruiser: China's Premier Surface Combatant

Unlinked missile fits

The same sources also describe YJ-18 anti-ship missiles and later reported hypersonic or ballistic anti-ship missile fits, but no public catalog record existed for those missile entries during this pass.

Sources: Type 055 Renhai-class Cruiser: China's Premier Surface Combatant, China launches 10th Type 055 Vessel, Increases Production At Dagushan, Chinese Navy's New Type 055 Destroyers Join Taiwan-focused Command

Timeline

Type 055 / Renhai-class destroyer Key Events

  1. Class development begins

    USNI Proceedings and open-source references place the first ship's construction start at Jiangnan in 2014.

    Sources: Type 055 Renhai-class Cruiser: China's Premier Surface Combatant

  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. Type 055s appear in Taiwan crisis exercises

    USNI Proceedings reported Type 055 cruisers among PLA Navy contributions to the August 4-10, 2022 exercises around Taiwan.

    Sources: China: Growing and Going to Sea

  4. 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

  5. Tenth hull launched

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

    Sources: China launches 10th Type 055 Vessel, Increases Production At Dagushan

  6. Xianyang patrols around Scarborough Shoal

    Chinese and RFA reporting placed the Type 055 destroyer Xianyang with a PLA Southern Theater Command flotilla during combat-readiness patrols around Huangyan Dao / Scarborough Shoal.

    Sources: Chinese military conducts combat readiness patrols over Huangyan Dao, China ramps up combat readiness at Scarborough Shoal

  7. Ten ships publicly identified

    CCTV+ reported that Dongguan and Anqing had been newly commissioned and that China's Type 055 inventory had risen to 10 ships.

    Sources: China unveils two new missile-guided destroyers to join PLA Navy Fleet

Media

Type 055 / Renhai-class destroyer Videos

Type 055 / Renhai-class destroyer Images

Type 055 / Renhai-class destroyer, Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy guided-missile destroyer or cruiser class, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: PLANS Lhasa (DDG-102) 20220617.jpg
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Sources

The eighth Type 055 destroyer officially commissioned to PLA NavyPublisher: Ministry of National Defense of the People's Republic of China | Note: Supports the first-ship commissioning date and service context for the Type 055 class. | Accessed: 2026-07-03China Now has 8 Type 055 Destroyers in Active ServicePublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports the class status in April 2023, the first-batch completion, and the carrier-escort air-defense role. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Type 055 Renhai-class Cruiser: China's Premier Surface CombatantPublisher: U.S. Naval Institute | Note: Supports the 112-cell VLS fit, HHQ-9B and YJ-18 carriage, sensors, aviation fit, and the destroyer-versus-cruiser framing used in Western references. | Accessed: 2026-07-03China's Dreadnought? The PLA Navy's Type 055 CruiserPublisher: China Maritime Studies Institute, U.S. Naval War College | Note: Supports design background, stealth and sensor-suite context, 112 VLS cells, carrier escort role, and broader naval capability assessment for the Type 055. | Accessed: 2026-07-03China: Growing and Going to SeaPublisher: U.S. Naval Institute | Note: Supports the direct 2022 Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis row by describing Type 055 cruisers among PLA Navy contributions to the August 4-10, 2022 exercises around Taiwan. | Accessed: 2026-07-03As China Begins Its Active War Against FreedomPublisher: Taipei Times | Note: Supports the direct 2022 Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis row by identifying at least two Type 055 cruisers among PLA Navy warships in the August 2022 blockade exercise around Taiwan. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Chinese military conducts combat readiness patrols over Huangyan DaoPublisher: Global Times | Note: Supports the direct South China Sea Disputes row by reporting that the Type 055 destroyer Xianyang led a PLA warship flotilla in combat-readiness patrols around Huangyan Dao / Scarborough Shoal. | Accessed: 2026-07-03China ramps up combat readiness at Scarborough ShoalPublisher: Radio Free Asia | Note: Supports the direct South China Sea Disputes row by independently reporting Type 055 destroyer Xianyang among Chinese naval ships in combat-readiness drills at Scarborough Shoal. | Accessed: 2026-07-03China unveils two new missile-guided destroyers to join PLA Navy FleetPublisher: CCTV+ | Note: Supports the March 2026 service update, Dongguan and Anqing commissioning context, Eastern Theater Command assignment, 10-ship count, and carrier-strike-group air-defense, missile-strike, and fleet-command roles. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Chinese Navy's New Type 055 Destroyers Join Taiwan-focused CommandPublisher: USNI News | Note: Supports 2026 second-batch context, Dongguan and Anqing assignment to the Eastern Theater Command, 10 fielded ships, and additional hull construction at Dalian and Jiangnan. | Accessed: 2026-07-03China launches 10th Type 055 Vessel, Increases Production At DagushanPublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports the May 2024 launch of the 10th Type 055, Dalian and Jiangnan builder context, first-batch completion, and second-batch uncertainty. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Category:Type 055 destroyerPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance context and general class identification, including manufacturer and basic dimensions listed in the category metadata. | Accessed: 2026-07-03PLANS Nanchang (DDG-101) 20210823.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the primary image provenance and licensing context for a Type 055 class ship image. | Accessed: 2026-07-03PLANS Lhasa (DDG-102) 20220617.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the gallery image provenance and licensing context for a second Type 055 class ship image. | Accessed: 2026-07-03China's 8th Type 055 destroyer Anshan enters servicePublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports additional service-background context for the class, including later-batch commissioning activity. | Accessed: 2026-07-03