China to export Type 052D destroyers, signalling more advanced ships in the pipeline: analyst
- The warships will be the most powerful anti-aircraft vessels on the global market, according to military magazine
- However, sales could be limited as buyers such as Pakistan probably cannot afford to add many to their fleets, naval expert says
Code-named the Type 052DE for export, the 7,500-tonne destroyer with advanced integrated radar, missile and command systems would be the most powerful anti-aircraft vessel available on the global market, according to an article in the Chinese military magazine Naval and Merchant Ships last week.
Like the Chinese navy’s latest Type 052D, the Type 052DE is 161 metres (528 feet) long, 18 metres wide and powered by combined diesel or gas propulsion systems capable of sailing at speeds of up to 32 knots.
“This means the Type 052D is no longer the latest killer product, otherwise it wouldn’t have been put up for sale,” said Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie. “The technologies it uses are mature, and the navy is confident in sharing.”
He said the successor to the Type 052D, which would probably be called the Type 052E, must already be in the pipeline.
Li said the navy would always have a strong demand for warships with displacement of 7,000 to 8,000 tonnes (7,716 to 8,818 tons) because they were useful in most scenarios.