China’s fourth Type 055 destroyer to enter service next month, sources say

Navy is also ready to commission another of the warships in the first half of 2022, with more to follow in the next two years

‘Bodyguard’ for aircraft carriers can also fight alone or lead a small flotilla on the high seas, according to naval expert

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The Nanchang was the first of the Type 055 destroyers to be commissioned, in 2020. Photo: Handout

Published: 6:00am, 6 Nov 2021Updated: 10:38pm, 6 Nov 2021

China’s fourth Type 055 warship – its most advanced and largest destroyer – is expected to go into service next month, with more to follow in the next two years, according to sources.

The stealth-guided missile destroyer will be the latest addition to a rapidly expanding navy that is now the world’s biggest, and military experts say it will boost combat strength on the high seas.

“The PLA Navy is likely to formally take over the Yanan [the fourth Type 055] in December,” said a source close to the People’s Liberation Army, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

He said a fifth destroyer, named the Anshan, was also ready to commission in the first half of next year.

Images of the ships’ badges – showing pennant number 106 for Yanan and 103 for Anshan – have been circulating online since late last month.

Images of the Anshan (left) and Yanan ship badges have been circulating online since late October. Photo: Handout

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