Type 052D Class (Luyang III-Class) Chinese Destroyer

The Type 052D Class, also known as the Luyang III-Class, is an evolution of the earlier Type 052C destroyers. This new class includes several advancements, such as an upgraded Dragon Eye phased array radar with flat panels, replacing the curved panels used in the Type 052C. Additionally, the Type 052D is equipped with a new multipurpose vertical launching system (VLS) arranged in a grid format, as opposed to the circular silos found on the Type 052C. The VLS can accommodate surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), surface-to-surface missiles (SSMs), and land-attack missiles. The SAM system is reported to be an improved version of the HHQ-9, while the SSM system likely includes the YJ-18 anti-ship missile and the YJ-21 anti-ship ballistic missile. The forward armament consists of a single 130 mm gun, along with either a Type 730 close-in weapons system (CIWS) or a Type 1130 CIWS, which has been implemented on ships launched since 2016. At the aft section of the ship, there is a flight deck and a centerline hangar that houses a short-range missile system (HHQ-10) launcher. The Type 052DL, which features a hull extension of 4 meters, was first launched in July 2018, allowing it to operate larger maritime helicopters. Ships launched since mid-2019 have been updated with a new air search antenna to replace the Type 517B Knife Rest, enhancing their detection capabilities against low radar cross-section (RCS) aircraft. Furthermore, a new dual-face rotating radar has been installed atop the foremast of Type 052DM ships launched since 2022. In terms of deployment, the Type 052D destroyers serve various naval theaters: the Southern Theatre Navy includes vessels numbered 161–166 and 172–175; the Northern Theatre Navy comprises ships numbered 117–127; and the Eastern Theatre Navy has ships numbered 131–136 and 154–158. These destroyers are likely to play key roles within the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) carrier task groups.