South China Sea: Beijing unveils two destroyers (Image: GETTY)
The Public Liberation Army (PLA) now has 20 of these warships equipped with up to 256 missiles. The warship features 64 vertical launch cells, capable of carrying one to four missiles. One of the missiles includes the PLA’s “deadliest anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), the vertically-launched YJ-18 ASCM”, according to The Diplomat.
A Global Times report said: “China now has 20 Type 052Ds either in active service or being fitted out for service soon.”
The warships are reportedly a significant upgrade from the Type 052C.
PLA sources revealed the Type 052C and Type 052D will become main components of China’s destroyer fleet.
But Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming highlighted pace of building could slow.
