The Type 052B (NATO/OSD Luyang I-class destroyer[1]) is a class of guided-missile destroyers in the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force (PLAN). The Type 052B was China's first modern destroyer design[2] [3] and the first Chinese design to incorporate true medium-range air defence capability in the form of Russian Shtil-1 (improved navalized Buk, NATO designation SA-N-12) surface-to-air missiles (SAM).[4]
Two ships - Guangzhou and Wuhan - were begun in 2001 and commissioned in July and December 2004 respectively.
In the early 2000's, China pursued multiple - and sometimes concurrent - programmes to acquire modern destroyers, purchasing s from Russia and constructing the Type 052B, Type 051C, and Type 052C.[5] These ships also represented steps to develop adequate air defense capabilities by adopting Russian air defense technology.;[6] the 25-km range Uragan (navalized Buk, NATO designation SA-N-7) on the Sovremenny; the 35-km range Shtil-1 on the Type 052B; long-range area air defense with the 150-km range Rif-M (navalized S-300, NATO designation SA-N-20) on the Type 051C;[4] and finally the Chinese 100-km range HHQ-9 (S-300 derivative) on the Type 052D.[7]
The Type 052B's air defence capabilities were obsolete upon entering service when compared to contemporary American and Japanese designs. Nonetheless it represented a considerable general improvement over previous Chinese warships[2] and was the precursor to later Chinese air warfare destroyers.[2] [8]
The hull is based on the Type 051B destroyer with added stealth features.
| Number | Pennant number | Name | Builder | Launched | Commissioned | Fleet | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 168 | 广州 / Guangzhou | Jiangnan | 25 May 2002[9] | 15 July 2004 | South Sea Fleet | Active |
| 2 | 169 | 武汉 / Wuhan | 9 September 2002 | December 2004 | Active | ||