Chinese destroyer Huainan

History
China
Name	Huainan (淮南)
Namesake	Huainan
Builder	Jiangnan Shipyard, Shanghai
Launched	15 April 2019
Commissioned	11 February 2021
Identification	Pennant number: 123
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Type 052DL destroyer
Displacement	7,500 tons (full load)
Length	161 m (528 ft)
Beam	17.5 m (57 ft)
Draught	6 m (20 ft)
Propulsion	Combined diesel or gas
Complement	280
Sensors and processing systems	Type 346 radar Type 518 radar Variable depth sonar Towed array sonar
Armament	1 x 130 mm gun 1 × HQ-10 short-range SAM 24-cell launcher 64 cell VLS HHQ-9 SAM YJ-18 SSM CY-5 ASW Type 1130 CIWS
Aircraft carried	1 × Harbin Z-20
Aviation facilities	Hangar Helipad

Huainan (123) is a Type 052DL destroyer of the People's Liberation Army Navy. ^[1]

Development and design

Main article: Type 052D destroyer

The basic ship type and layout of the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer is the same as that of the Type 052C destroyer, but compared to the earlier Type 052C destroyer, the Type 052D superstructure has a larger inclination angle and provides better stealth performance. At the same time, the 052C helicopter hangar is located The left side of the hull axis was changed to the center axis of the ship on Type 052D; a pair of small boat storage compartments were added on both sides of the hangar, similar to the design on the Type 054A frigate.

The close in weapon system is composed of a H/PJ-12 short-range defense weapon system located in front of the bridge and a 24 Hongqi-10 air defense missile system located on the top of the hangar, which is combined to form a ladder interception. The original 100mm naval gun was replaced by a higher height and better stealth model H/PJ45 naval gun. On May 13, 2019, the extended version of the 052DL was exposed. The hull of the 052DL is basically the same as the 052D, but the helicopter deck is lengthened to prepare for the Zhi-20 to board the ship. ^[2]

The Type 52D is the first Chinese surface combatant to use canister-based universal VLS, as opposed to the concentric type VLS carried aboard earlier vessels. 64 cells are carried; 32 forward and 32 aft. ^[3] The VLS is reportedly an implementation of the GJB 5860-2006 standard. ^[4] The VLS may fire the extended-range variant of the HHQ-9 surface-to-air missile, YJ-18 anti-ship cruise missiles, ^[5] and CY-5 anti-submarine missiles. ^[6]

Construction and career

Huainan was launched on 15 April 2019 at the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai. She was commissioned in 2021.

On 2 March 2021, Huainan, Tangshan, Qiqihar and Zhangjiakou conducted a training exercise in the Yellow Sea. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

In February 2023, the destroyer was deployed to the south Indian Ocean to engage in joint exercises with the South African and Russian navies that were to be held in waters off South Africa. The exercise began on 18 February and involved the frigate Admiral Gorshkov and tanker Kama from the Russian Navy ^[10] along with the People's Liberation Army Navy frigate Rizhao and the support ship Kekexilihu . Several vessels from the South African Navy were expected to participate including the frigate Mendi as well as the Warrior-class patrol vessel King Sekhukhune I and the hydrographic survey vessel SAS Protea. ^[11]

References

1. "Guided missile destroyer Huainan (DDG 157) — Shipshub". shipshub.com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
2. Releases, DP Press. "China Launches 23rd And 24th Type 052D Guided-Missile Destroyers". DefPost. Archived from the original on 2020-12-04. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
3. Li: page 44
4. Wang, Weixing, ed. (4 September 2012). "谜一样的战舰 从052D驱逐舰看中舰艇系统" [A Ship of Mystery: The Shipborne Systems of Type 052D] (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 2012-10-11.
5. China Military Power: Modernizing a Force to Fight and Win (PDF) (Report). United States Defense Intelligence Agency. 2019. p. 70. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 May 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
6. Wong, Kelvin (2017). Undersea dragon: Chinese ASW capabilities advance (PDF) (Report). Jane's 360. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 October 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
7. "More stretched Type 052D destroyers join the PLA Navy". Janes.com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
8. 观察者网 (2021-03-02). "052D"淮南"舰已经服役 据央视军事报道3月1日报道……". k.sina.cn. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
9. "中国海军25艘052D"淮南"舰服役(图)|中国|052D型_新浪军事_新浪网". mil.news.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
10. "Russia, China and South Africa began naval maneuvers". Prensa Latina. 17 February 2023.
11. Ryabchiy, Kate (16 February 2023). "South Africa's naval drills with Russia, China "tantamount to joining war against Ukraine"". Euromaidan Press.