DDG-170 Lanzhou
DDG-171 Haikou
DDG-150 Changchun
DDG-151 Zhengzhou
DDG-152 Jinan (Trials)
DDG-153 Xi'an (Outfitting)

In 2002, Shanghai-based Jiangnan Shipyard launched two type 052B (Guangzhou class) multirole missile destroyers which were much more modern and heavily armed than anything the Chinese had indegenously produced to that date. Immediately thereafter, in the same shipyards, construction began on two more destroyers and it quickly became apparent that these destroyers, although built on the same basic hull as the Type 052Bs, were not the same destroyers.

With much taller superstructure and obvious Phased Array Radar panesl on all four sides, and with vertical launch systems fore and aft, it became apparent that the PLAN was constructing two entirely new mulit-role destroyers directed principally at wide coverage anti-air defense.

The first-of-class 170 Lanzhou was launched in April 2003 and commissioned in July 2004. The second ship, 171 Haikou was launched in October 2003 and commissioned in 2005. A Third vessel, 150 Changchun, was launched in late 2010 and commissioned in late 2011, a fourth vessel, 151 Zhengzhou, and commissioned in 2013. A fifth vessel, 152 Jinan, was launched in early 2012 and is outfitting. The final vessel, 153, number six, was launched in late summer 2012 and is also outfitting..

The new vessels are designated the Type 052C and, with few exceptions, their weapons and sensor systems are completely based on indigenous technology. The notable four-array multifunction phased array radar (PAR) appears to be similar to the U.S. AN/SPY-1 Aegis system. The destroyers are also fitted with two vertical launch systems (VLS) housing 36 cells foreward and 12 cells aft for the indigenous HQ-9 mid to long-range air defense missile. They also have two quad cannister launchers for the latest YJ-85 (C-805) anti-ship missile. Both of these missile systems had not been seen on any previous PLAN warships. The vessel is also equipped with two Type 730 30mm CIWS, six torpedo tubes, and four eighteen barrel multi rocket launchers for ASW work.

The ship’s hanger on the stern of the vessel will accommodate one all-weather Ka-28 ASW helicopter carrying torpedoes and depth charges, and capable of operating up to 200km from the ship.

As stated above, in 2010, the PLAN was seen to be in serial production of these vessels and within two and one half years had built the last four vessels, making six in all. At that time, in August 2012, the next vessel to come out of the building halls was a significantly upgraded Type 052C vessel, now classified as the Type 052D DDG. She has a larger, 130mm gun, and four VLS cells that are hot launched and rectangular in nature, more like the US MK-41 VLS launcher, and similar to the Type 054A VLS launcher, but for larger missiles. With two 16 missile VLS launchers fore and aft, the new DDG will have 64 cells. These launchers appear to be able to launch either long range anti-ar missiles, anti-surface cruise missiles, or sub launched anti-submarine missiles. At least two, and perhaps as many as four of these vessels are either under, or preparing for construction.

Just the same, with the addition of the six Lanzhou class vessels, the PLAN has positioned itself to protect its emerging blue water fleet with strong wide-air defense coverage, particularly the new Type 71 LPD vessels they are building (fourth under construction) and certainly future aircraft carriers like the former Soviet Varyag that the PLAN launched in August of 2011 and is in trials, and the two new carriers they are building.