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The Chinese Navy's "Russian-style Aegis Ship": Former Glory and Today's Transformation In modern military history, the Type 051C destroyer has been dubbed the "Russian-style Aegis ship". The destroyer's signature equipment is a Russian-made 30N6E1 "Tombstone" passive phased array radar equipped with 48 Russian-made "Rif" shipborne VLS launchers for vertical launch of S-300F long-range anti-aircraft missiles. This missile has a good reputation in the military field and has the ability to intercept not only fighters, aircraft and anti-ship missiles, but also tactical ballistic missiles.
In the Chinese Navy's lineup, the 115 Shenyang and 116 Shijiazhuang played a key role in air defense before the Type 052D/052DL and Type 055 destroyers entered the North Sea Fleet, guarding the coastal areas of the Gyeonggi region. At the same time, these two destroyers also provided strong cover for submarines during the actions of the nuclear submarine forces of the North Sea Fleet. When the Type 001 aircraft carrier 16 Liaoning was first stationed at the Qingdao Naval Base, these two large destroyers, together with other ships, became the main escort force of the first domestic aircraft carrier.
However, with the addition of Type 052D/052DL destroyers and Type 055 destroyers, the status of Type 051C destroyers in the Liaoning aircraft carrier formation gradually declined. The main reason is that its comprehensive combat performance began to lag behind. For example, the "Tombstone" radar on the Type 051C destroyer is inferior to the radar of the new destroyer in terms of detection range and accuracy. In addition, the "Reeve" shipborne VLS launcher appears massive and heavy due to its complex mechanical transmission.
The purchased Russian-made equipment occupies an extremely precious space inside the Type 051C destroyer. As a result, the ship lost the facilities and maintenance positions provided for the helicopter, which brought obvious constraints to the aviation anti-submarine operations of the destroyer. In addition, although the 115 Shenyang and 116 Shijiazhuang ships are the Chinese Navy's domestically built destroyers in the 21st century, they did not participate in escort and anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, which undoubtedly left regrets for the officers and men on board.
In general, the Type 051C destroyer was an emergency choice for the Chinese Navy during stressful times, but its status has shifted as technological developments and new ships have been added to the ranks.
Conclusion: The Type 051C destroyer has undoubtedly contributed an important force to the modernization and development of the Chinese Navy, reflecting the strategic choice in a specific historical period. However, the continuous advancement of technology and the upgrading of military equipment is a natural trend in the development of the army. Analyzing the experience of the Type 051C destroyer, we can better understand the entire life cycle of military equipment from procurement to retirement, and the strategic significance and impact behind it.
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