Chinese destroyer Shenzhen

Shenzhen is a guided-missile destroyer operated by China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). It is the sole Type 051B destroyer (NATO reporting name: Luhai).^[1]

Shenzhen moored at Tokyo in November 2007
Class overview
Builders	Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company[1]
Operators	People's Liberation Army Navy
Preceded by	Type 052 destroyer
Succeeded by	Type 051C destroyer
In commission	1999-present[1]
Completed	1
Active	1
History
China
Name	Shenzhen
Namesake	Shenzhen
Laid down	July 1996[1]
Launched	16 October 1997[1]
Commissioned	December 1998
Homeport	Zhanjiang
Identification	Pennant number: 167[1]
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Type 051B destroyer
Displacement	6,096 tonnes (6,000 long tons)[1]
Length	154 m (505 ft 3 in)[1]
Beam	16 m (52 ft 6 in)[1]
Draught	6 m (19 ft 8 in)[1]
Propulsion	Combined diesel or gas[1] 2 × Ukrainian gas turbines (35.7 MW)[1] 2 × MTU 1163 TB 83 diesel engines (6.5 MW)[1]
Speed	29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph)[1]
Range	4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 14 knots[1]
Complement	250 (42 officers)[1]
Sensors and processing systems	Post-2016 "Top Plate" radar[2] Towed array sonar[2] Pre-2016 Combat management system: ZKJ-7 Air search radar: Type 381A[1] Air/surface search radar: Type 360[1] Fire control radar: Type 344, Type 345, Type 347G, Type 360[1] Navigation radar: Racal/Decca 1290[1] Active sonar: DUBV-23 hull-mounted[1] Optronic directors: GDG 776[1] Satellite communications[1]
Electronic warfare & decoys	Post-2016 Towed torpedo decoy[2] Pre-2016 Type 826 electronic support measure[1] Type 984 jammer[1] Type 985 jammer[1]
Armament	Post-2016 16 x YJ-12 anti-ship missiles 32-cell vertical launching system HHQ-16 surface-to-air missiles 2 x Type 1130 CIWS[2] Pre-2016 16 x YJ-83 anti-ship missiles[3] HQ-7 surface-to-air missiles (octuple launcher)[1] 2 x 100 mm naval guns (1 twin mount)[1] 8 × 37mm AA guns (4 twin mounts)[1] 6 x 324 mm. torpedo tubes (2 triple mounts)[1] 2 x Type 946 chaff launchers[1] 2 x Type 947 chaff launchers[1]
Aircraft carried	2 helicopters: (Kamov Ka-28 or Harbin Z-9C)[1]
Aviation facilities	Hangar[2]

Development and design

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the PLAN began developing capabilities for a wider range of strategic missions.^[4] During this time it produced multiple warship classes with short production runs, likely as experiments to develop satisfactory designs. The Type 051B destroyer was one of these designs.^[5]

The Type 051B destroyer had "broad similarities" with the smaller preceding Type 052 destroyer.^[1] The Type 051B has a wider hull with increased stability, habitability, and armament.^[5] Integration of French and Russian systems was aided by previous experience on the Luda III testbed.^[6] The ZKJ-7 combat data system is based on the Italian IPN-10 or -20.^[7] The light anti-aircraft guns were mounted aft to make space for the HQ-7 reloading system behind the launcher.^[1]

It was unusual in being one of the few PLAN ships to have a hangar for two helicopters.^[2]

The Type 051B was the first PLAN warship with a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) powerplant using Ukrainian gas turbines;^[8] the preceding Type 052 program had started with American General Electric LM2500 gas turbines, which could no longer be obtained after the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre.^[9]

One ship, Shenzhen, was built. The design then become the baseline for the Type 051C destroyer.^[1]

The ship emerged from a major overhaul around 2016. The quarterdeck was enclosed. The "Top Plate"-derived radar was moved from the aft to the forward mast to remove its blind spot.^[2] The ship was rearmed with YJ-12 anti-ship missiles,^[10] and HHQ-16 surface-to-air missiles in a vertical launching system (VLS). Stern-deployed torpedo decoy and towed array sonar systems were installed.^[2]

History

Shenzhen was commissioned in December 1998^[11][12] and served as a flagship for the South Sea Fleet.^[2] It made the PLAN's first goodwill visit to Africa in 2000. The ship also took part in the PLAN's first visit to Europe in 2001^[12] and the first visit to Japan in 2007.^[13]

The ship was refitted in 2004.^[3]

Shenzhen was part of the second Chinese anti-piracy task force to the Gulf of Aden from April to August 2009. On the return journey it visited Pakistan and India.^[14]

The ship was overhauled from 2014 through 2016 at Zhanjiang.^[15]

Gallery

• 
  Shenzhen entering Apra Harbor, Guam on 12 October 2003.
• 
  Shenzhen in Apra Harbor, Guam on 22 October 2003.
• 
  Shenzhen in Apra Harbor, Guam on 25 October 2003.