It showed one launching what naval analyst H I Sutton said was a hypersonic YJ-21 anti-ship ballistic missile – a weapon often referred to as a “carrier killer.” The potency of the Type 055 was underlined in footage that emerged on social media in April.

“The ship has achieved full operational capability and demonstrated its capabilities in deterring possible foreign military interference in the Taiwan Strait at a time when the US and Japan have been repeatedly provoking China over the Taiwan question,” the Global Times reported. The deployment of the Lhasa, the second of Beijing’s five active Type 055s, to the Sea of Japan for drills amid growing tensions over Taiwan, was championed by China’s state-run Global Times tabloid last week. (Photo VCG) VCG via Getty ImagesĬhina's new destroyers: 'Power, prestige and majesty' Type 055 is the newest generation of guided-missile destroyer in China. senior analyst Timothy Heath told CNN in 2018, when Beijing launched two of the warships in a single day – a testament to China’s impressive shipbuilding capabilities.Ī US Congressional Research Service report in March said at least 10 Type 055s are thought to have been launched or are under construction.ĭALIAN, CHINA - JULY 03: One of the two Type 055 guided-missile destroyers takes water at a shipyard on Jin Dalian, Liaoning Province of China. It is larger and more powerful than most US, Japanese, and South Korean destroyers,” RAND Corp. “This ship in particular has a sophisticated design, stealth features, radars, and a large missile inventory. The Type 055, big enough to be considered a cruiser by NATO standards, is equipped with 112 vertical launch tubes that can used to fire everything from anti-ship missiles to long-range land-attack missiles. Launched in 2017, these 13,000-ton stealth guided-missile destroyers are considered by many to be the most powerful surface combatants in the world.

China's type 055 guided-missile destroyer Nanchang in the Western Pacific on October 19, 2021.

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