PLAN HANGZHOU CLASS DDGLAST UPDATE: June 2, 2007   
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| SPECIFICATIONS | PHOTOGRAPHS (Click on the pictures for an enlarged photo) |
 Designation: DDG Length: 512 ft (156m) Beam: 55 ft (17m) Draft: 20 ft (6m) Displace (Full Load): 8,500 tons Propulsion: 2 steam turbines, two shafts Speed: 32+ knots Range: 4,500 nautical miles (18 knots) Crew: 344 Helicopter(s): 1 KA-27 ASW Sensors: - Top Plate, Front dome, Kite Screech, Band Stand Radars - Bull Horn, Whale Tongue Sonars Armament: - 2 X 9M38 single-arm (48 9M317 Shtil missiles) - 8 X 3M80MBE Moskit SSM - 1 X dual 130mm DP Guns - 4 X AK-730 30mm CIWS (136, 137) - 2 X Kashtin CIWS (138, 139) - 2 X 6 RBU-100 ASW Rockets - 6 X 533mm torpedoes Ships in class: 4 136 HangzhouThe People's Republic of China embarked on a massive and rapid modernization program for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in the late 1990s. As part of that program, the PRC purchased two unfinished Russian Sovremenny destroyers in 1996. The Russian destroyers had been laid down in the late 1980s, but due to the fall of the Soviet Union, and the financial crisis the emerging Russian federation faced, the units were not completed due to lack of funds. Once the deal was struck, construction began and when finished, the vessels were renamed Hangzhou (136) and Fuzhou (137), and the two destroyers were delivered to China in 1999 and 2000 respectively. These destroyers represented the pinnacle of Soviet/Russian acheivement in destroyer design. They are powerful multi-role vessels geared towards modern, major anti-surface warfare, with strong anti-air capabilities, and a very credable anti-submarine capability. They provided a platform that vastly exceeded the capabilities of other Chinese domestic designs to that date. With 48 VLS Shtil (code named SA-N-12 Grizzly by NATO) anti-air missiles, eight Moskit long range, supersonic surface to surface missiles (code named SS-N-22 Sunbirn by NATO), and with a dual 130mm surface gun, these vessels represented the most modern and strongest surface combatants the PLAN could field once they were devlivered and caused significant stir amongst other Asian nations, particularly the Republic of China on Taiiwan. Due to the success of these vessels, in 2002, another two improved Sovremenny vessels were ordered from Russia equipped with improved weapon systems and sensors. The first ship, Taizhou (138) was launched in April 2004 and was delivered to China in December 2005. The second ship (139) was launched in July 2004 and delivered to China in 2006.. The PLAN also may hold the option to order another two of these destroyers in the future. These four vessels have added significantly to the PLAN force capabilities in the area, and have also benefitted the PLAN in at sea experience for modern, large surface combatants, which is helping with their own new and very impressive Guangzhou and Lanzhou vessels. It has also led directly to increased activity amongst other nation in the region, particularly the ROC, who, upon finding out about the purchase of the additional two ships, ordered four strong KIDD class destroyers from the United States in an attempt to balance forces in the Taiwan Straits area. |
       
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Jeff Head is a member of the US Naval Insitute who has many years experience in the power, defense, and computer industries. He currently works for the federal government helping maintain regional infrastructure. He is the author of a self-published military techno-thriller called, "Dragon's Fury," that projects a fictional third world war arising out of current events. Learn more about that series by clicking on the picture of the novel cover below:
 DRAGON'S FURY-World War against America and the West |
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