The People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is speeding-up a program to upgrade the surface-to-air missile defense systems of its obsolete guided missile destroyers ahead of the commissioning of the CNS Shandong (CV-17), PLAN's second aircraft carrier, in 2021.

PLAN intends to build up to six aircraft carriers, one or two of which will probably be nuclear powered, so it can secure China's maritime dominion over Asia despite the superiority of the more powerful U.S. Navy.

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Admiral Yin Zhuo, a Senior Researcher at the PLAN Navy Equipment Research Center, said from five to six aircraft carriers are necessary "in order to protect China's territories and overseas interests."

"China needs two carrier strike groups in the West Pacific Ocean and two in the Indian Ocean. So we need at least five to six aircraft carriers," according to Admiral Yin.

PLAN is a third of the way towards a six carrier fleet with the CNS Shandong scheduled to begin sea trials by 2019. Construction of this carrier, also referred to as the Type 001A, is expected to be completed within the year.

The newest destroyer scheduled for refit is the obsolete Type 051B Luhai-class destroyer, CNS Shenzhen (167), which PLAN said was its most powerful way back in 1998. Shenzhen is the only destroyer in the Luhai-class.

Now with the South Sea Fleet which she  joined in 1999, Shenzhen was then the largest and most advanced domestically made warship for about five years until the first Type 052B destroyer, CNS Guangzhou (168), was commissioned in 2004.

The biggest upgrade to the Shenzhen will be its weapon systems. The HQ-7 short-range SAM launcher has been replaced with a vertical launching system (VLS) that enables Shenzhen to carry more missiles and to use more kinds of missiles.

Her four 37 mm twin-barrel anti-aircraft guns have been replaced with two 30 mm close-in weapon systems (CIWS). Her radars and sonar systems were also upgraded to enhance their reconnaissance, detection and monitoring capabilities.

Three other obsolete destroyers were also recently upgraded to become better defenders of PLAN's carriers.

The CNS Hangzhou (169), one of PLAN's four Russian-made Sovremennyy class destroyers, is receiving an upgrade to its missile systems and electronic instruments. Hangzhou was commissioned in 1999.

In 2016, PLAN upgraded the CNS Guangzhou (168), a Type 052B destroyer, and the CNS Harbin (112) and CNS Qingdao (113), the only ships belonging to the old Type 052-class. Harbin was commissioned in 1994 and Qingdao in 1996.

TagsPeople's Liberation Army Navy, PLAN, CNS Shandong, U.S. Navy, CNS Shenzhen, CNS Hangzhou