China Commissions Two New Type 052D Destroyers

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has reportedly commissioned two new Type 052D Destroyers.

The destroyers are to be named the Zhanjiang and the Jiaozuo, Chinese military reported Tuesday.

After the decommissioning of the old Zhanjiang, a Type 051 destroyer with the hull number of 165, in August 2020, the new Zhanjiang, a new-generation destroyer with the same hull number as the old ship, entered service more than a year later.

The other warship named Jiaozuo has embarked on a voyage, the report said, without giving further details, including the type of the ship or the time and the location of the voyage.

This indicates that the Jiaozuo has also been commissioned, Chinese analysts speculated. According to the video report by the Jiaozuo Daily, the ship is likely a Type 052D destroyer. As per its badge shown in the report, the hull number of the ship is 163.

Based on the general pattern of ship construction and past experiences, it would take about two years for a destroyer to enter service after launch, so the remaining Type 052Ds that have been launched are likely already also in service, or are about to be enlisted soon, a Chinese military expert told the Global Times on Wednesday, requesting anonymity.