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Chinese navy may launch eighth Type 055 stealth destroyer later this year
- Vessel is being painted at a shipyard in Dalian, indicating it is close to being launched, according to reports
- But experts say it could take up to five years for all the destroyers designed for China’s aircraft carrier strike groups to be combat-ready
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China is expected to launch an eighth guided-missile destroyer designed for the navy’s aircraft carrier strike groups later this year, according to reports on mainland social media sites.
The vessel will complete the first group of Type 055 destroyers, but naval experts said it could take up to five years for all the warships to be combat-ready – normally a few years after they enter service – because of their advanced design.
The destroyer is being painted at a shipyard in Dalian where a contractor carries out much of China’s naval shipbuilding, indicating it is close to being launched, according to the reports posted on Weibo and WeChat.
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The Chinese navy just received the seventh Type 055 destroyer in May. And with the first, the Nanchang, formally entering service in January – 2½ years after its launch – naval experts said it could take another three years before all eight are in service following their sea trials. The second is still undergoing trials after it was launched two years ago.
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Chinese navy video shows nuclear sub launching JL-2 ballistic missiles during drill
Chinese navy video shows nuclear sub launching JL-2 ballistic missiles during drill
With a displacement of 12,000 tonnes, the Type 055 is the world’s second-most powerful destroyer after the US Navy’s DDG-1000, or Zumwalt class.
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It was designed to guard the country’s next-generation Type 002 aircraft carrier, which has the world’s most advanced electromagnetic catapult systems.
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