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By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
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Chinese state media on Wednesday revealed how one of the country's premier 10,000-ton-class large destroyers has enhanced its capabilities in hunting enemy submarines.
CNS Zunyi, a Type 055 destroyer, has refined its anti-submarine warfare capabilities through offensive and defensive training exercises over the past year, according to China Central Television, achieving what the report described as "phased results."
Newsweek has reached out to China's Foreign Ministry by email for further comment.
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Why It Matters
China currently operates a fleet of eight Type 055 destroyers—with new ships expected to enter service—as part of its more than 370-vessel navy, the largest in the world by hull count. Each destroyer can be equipped with up to 112 missiles of various types.
The rapid fielding of large destroyers, commissioned between 2020 and 2023, is part of China's efforts to modernize its navy and challenge the United States' military supremacy. Beijing has set a goal of building up its armed forces and reaching "world-class" level.
Facing China's growing naval reach, which has raised concerns among U.S. allies in the western Pacific, the Pentagon maintains a steady submarine presence. Experts have previously told Newsweek that U.S. submarines pose a major threat to China's navy.
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What To Know
China Central Television reported that a confrontation-style drill between surface ships and submarines was held at an undisclosed location in the South China Sea. One of the participating vessels, the Zunyi, was tasked with reconnaissance and early warning.
During the exercise, the Type destroyer successfully acquired submarine targets and transmitted a large amount of data back in real time. The report said the Zunyi helped establish a comprehensive battlefield situational awareness network for the fleet.
Xu Yi, a sailor assigned to the Zunyi, told China Central Television that the crew analyzed the underwater terrain and marine environment of designated sea areas prior to the exercise, which could help them achieve more effective submarine detection.
According to the defense outlet Naval News, the Zunyi and its sister ships are capable of conducting missions such as air defense, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, equivalent to soon-to-be-retired cruisers and more modern destroyers of the U.S. Navy.
Wang Yunfei, a Chinese military expert, told the Global Times that Type 055 vessels are expected to be equipped with larger sonar systems—designed to detect and locate objects underwater—than those of other Chinese warships such as Type 054A frigates.
In addition to shipboard equipment, Wang said each Type 055 warship can carry up to two helicopters for anti-submarine warfare, extending the ship's operational coverage.
Regarding the location of the war game, the expert said the deep-water environment of the South China Sea favors submarine operations, describing activity in the region as "intensive" and saying drills there closely simulate real combat scenarios.
What People Are Saying
Yang Minghan, a crew member of CNS Zunyi, said: "By mastering every single detail with absolute clarity, and then connecting these thousands of details into lines, expanding them into a whole system, and weaving them into an integrated network, we can ultimately translate them into combat effectiveness."
China Central Television reported: "The Type 055 missile destroyer marked a breakthrough in large destroyer design, integrating advanced technologies in overall architecture, information systems, and modular construction. With superior situational awareness, air defense, missile interception, and maritime strike power, it epitomizes the current pinnacle of China's naval technology."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the Chinese military will develop an improved version of the Type 055 destroyer to further bolster its naval power, as the U.S. pushes forward its Golden Fleet shipbuilding plan, including the more capable Trump-class battleships.
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