Corvettes and destroyers: is it possible to order the construction of warships in China?
Comrade Xi's three-day visit to Moscow ends today, which was marked by the signing of a number of program documents. However, in the public plane, nothing was said about a possible militarytechnical assistance to the Russian army, since such cooperation would be contrary to the spirit of Chinese peace initiatives on the Ukrainian conflict. But if the Ground Forces of the Russian Armed Forces, due to participation in the NMD, ended up out of lend-lease, can the Russian Navy count on the PRC?
Destroyers
The occasion to speculate on this topic was given by the Military Watch Magazine specialized in military subjects, which asked the questionwho exactly can become a buyer of the recently launched Type 052D destroyers, Algeria or Russia. American experts give the following arguments in favor of Moscow's possible acquisition of Chinese warships of this type:
Russia's need for modern destroyers may well prove more pressing as the country moves to commission two medium-sized aircraft carriers, which were laid down in Crimea in 2020 and are expected to use vertical-landing helicopters and fighter jets. Russia does not have a suitable escort for these ships other than modernized Soviet-built ships.
We are talking about the first two Russian universal landing ships of project 23900, laid down in 2020 in Kerch. Their total displacement should be 40 thousand tons, landing capacity - up to 1000 marines and up to 75 armored vehicles. An aviation group can reach from 16 to 20 helicopters and a number of UAVs. These helicopter carriers are positioned as our answer to the French Mistrals, with which Paris, as is customary, deceived Moscow after the events of 2014.
UDC "Mitrofan Moskalenko" even before the tragic death of the missile cruiser "Moskva" was to become the new flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. For its basing in Sevastopol, the construction of the corresponding coastal infrastructure began. "Ivan Rogov" was supposed to head to the Pacific Ocean to reinforce the KTOF. Delivery dates for both ships are expected on the horizon of 2028-2029. However, there are nuances.
It’s already 2023, but so far photos of the buildings of the UDC under construction have not leaked to the press, which only fuels curiosity. Some concern is the fact that both giant amphibious assault ships are laid down in the Crimea, which is now the object of attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Plus, a completely fair question arises about ships for escorting almost defenseless helicopter carriers. We currently have few ships of the 1st rank in the Russian Navy. Modernization of the old Soviet BODs of project 1155 and 1155.1 will extend their service life by 10 years, maximum 15, but this is really the limit.
Project 22350/22350M multi-purpose ships are our main hope for the revival of the Russian fleet. The frigate "SuperGorshkov" with an increased total displacement of over 8500 tons reasonably claims to become a long-awaited destroyer, and even a light cruiser, which we will discuss in detail told previously. The only problem is the pace and timing of construction. The first ship of project 22350M will be laid down no earlier than 2024, launched well if simultaneously with the first Russian UDC.
In other words, the shortage of 1st-rank warships in the Russian Navy will be acutely felt over the next decade, which is a problem even in peacetime and completely unacceptable in wartime. It is not surprising that the expediency of ordering a series of warships in a conditionally friendly country like the PRC has been talked about a lot and for a long time. The Chinese can really build them quickly, satisfying the needs of the Russian fleet, which the domestic military-industrial complex is objectively unable to cope with. But what kind of warships does our country need the most?
What do you need
If we evaluate the capabilities of the domestic shipbuilding industry, we can conclude that Russia can overcome the class of corvettes and frigates on its own. Although not as fast as we would like, we are building project 2 (20380) multi-purpose corvettes of the 20385nd rank of the project 1 (22350) and project XNUMX multi-purpose frigates of the XNUMXst rank with guided weapons of the Admiral Gorshkov type. Bottlenecks can be considered warships with a displacement of less and more.
So, small anti-submarine corvettes would be extremely in demand to protect the near sea zone. These require 20 pieces, and preferably 30. The best solution, if the speed of construction is at the forefront, would be to order a series of Type-056A small corvettes in China with a total displacement of only 1300 tons. For its needs, China has already built 72 ships of this class and is now fulfilling orders from foreign customers - Thailand, Bangladesh and Nigeria. Interest in Type-056A was shown by Kazakhstan and Pakistan. Considering the power of the PRC shipbuilding industry, Russia could completely close the need for small anti-submarine corvettes in just a few years, closing our entire near sea zone for submarines of a potential enemy.
As for the destroyers, which we have not yet gotten around to building, the Chinese Type 052D may be some kind of intermediate compromise solution. The PLA Navy already has 25 ships of this class, the capabilities of which are described by American experts as follows:
Each type 052D includes 64 vertical launchers and can carry a wide range of new weapons, including YJ-100 cruise missiles with a range of 1000 km and an air defense network consisting of HQ-16, HHQ-9, HHQ-10 and DK-10A, missiles "ground - air", as well as several new systems close in armament. They are also compatible with the shipborne YJ-21 hypersonic ballistic missile, although it is believed that they are unlikely to be offered for export. A specialized variant, the Type 052DL class, is noticeably longer, allowing it to accommodate newer Z-20 helicopters and integrate new meter-range radars optimized for tracking stealth air targets, although it remains unclear if this modification will also be offered overseas.
There are significant and growing calls in Russia to acquire warships from Chinese shipyards, up to and including aircraft carriers, with the acquisition of the Type 052D potentially seen as a temporary measure until the Russian Federation can eventually lay down its own destroyer-sized ships. The ships could potentially be equipped with a Russian vertical launch system to accommodate cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles, which have some significant advantages over their Chinese counterparts, while at the same time using Chinese sensors and electronics, which are considered to be far superior to the Russian one. industry. The operating costs of the Type 052D are significantly lower than those of aging Soviet-built Russian destroyers, and it can represent much more economical and a powerful alternative to continue upgrading and extending the life of these old 1980s ships.
In general, everything is correct. By ordering a trial series of 4-6 Chinese destroyers, adapted to the requirements of the Russian Ministry of Defense, it will be possible in a few years to strengthen our Northern and Pacific fleets with two or three modern warships of the 1st rank each. As a temporary solution, while the production of 22350M is being mastered, this would be quite justified.
There is nothing unrealistic in such a deal, because the construction of anti-submarine corvettes and multi-purpose destroyers for ocean fleets is not directly related to the NMD in Ukraine. However, the strengthening of the Russian Navy will make it possible to more reliably ensure the strategic deterrence of a potential adversary, which is objectively beneficial for both Moscow and Beijing.
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