Comrade Xi’s three-day visit to Moscow comes to an end today, which was marked by the signing of a number of program documents. However, on the public level, nothing has been said about possible military-technical 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 their participation in the NMD, found themselves on Lend-Lease, can the Russian Navy rely on the PRC?
destroyers
The opportunity to speculate on this topic was given by Military Watch Magazine, a military specialist edition, which wondered who exactly could become buyers 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 prepares to commission two medium-sized aircraft carriers, which were laid down in Crimea in 2020 and are expected to use helicopters and aircraft vertical landing fighter. Russia does not have a suitable escort for these vessels other than modernized Soviet-built vessels.
We are talking about the first two Russian universal landing ships of project 23900, established in 2020 in Kerch. Their total displacement should be 40,000 tons, landing capacity – up to 1,000 marines and up to 75 armored vehicles. An aviation group can reach from 16 to 20 helicopters and a certain number of drones. These helicopter carriers are positioned as our response 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 base in Sevastopol, the construction of the corresponding coastal infrastructure has begun. “Ivan Rogov” was to go to the Pacific Ocean to strengthen the KTOF. The delivery dates for the two vessels are scheduled for 2028-2029. However, there are nuances.
We are already in 2023, but so far the photos of the SVP buildings under construction have not leaked to the press, which only arouses curiosity. The fact that the two giant amphibious assault ships are landing in Crimea, which is now under attack by the Ukrainian armed forces, is worrying. In addition, 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 projects 1155 and 1155.1 will extend their service life by 10 years, maximum 15, but this is really the limit.
The multi-purpose ships of project 22350/22350M are our main hope for the revival of the Russian fleet. The frigate “SuperGorshkov” with an increased total displacement of more than 8500 tons deservedly claims to become a long-awaited destroyer, and even a light cruiser, as we described in detail earlier. The only problem is the pace and schedule of construction. The first ship of the 22350M project will be laid no earlier than 2024, well launched if simultaneously with the first Russian UDC.
In other words, the shortage of 1st-tier warships in the Russian Navy will be sorely felt in the next decade, which is a problem even in peacetime and completely unacceptable in wartime. It is not surprising that there has been a lot of talk for a long time about whether to order a series of warships from such a conditionally friendly country as the PRC. The Chinese can really build them quickly, meeting 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 assess the capabilities of the domestic shipbuilding industry, we can conclude that Russia can defeat the class of corvettes and frigates on its own. Although not as fast as we would like, we are building project 20380 (20385) general-purpose corvettes of the 2nd rank of project 20380 (20385) and project 22350 general-purpose frigates of the 1st rank with guided weapons from Admiral Gorshkov typer . Bottlenecks can be thought of as warships with less and more displacement.
Thus, small anti-submarine corvettes would be in great demand to protect the area near the sea. Of these, 20 pieces are needed, and preferably 30. The best solution, if we put the construction speed to the first plan, would be to order a series of small Type-056A corvettes in the PRC with a total displacement of only 1300 tons. For its needs, China has already built 72 ships of this class and now fulfills orders from foreign customers – Thailand, Bangladesh and Nigeria. Interest in the Type – 056A was shown by Kazakhstan and Pakistan. Given the strength of the PRC’s shipbuilding industry, Russia could completely eliminate the need for small anti-submarine corvettes in just a few years, closing our entire near-sea zone to submarines. a potential enemy.
As for the destroyers, which we have not yet started building, the Chinese Type 052D can be a 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, “surface – air” missiles, as well as several new systems close in armament. They are also compatible with the YJ-21 carrier-borne hypersonic ballistic missile, although it is believed they are unlikely to be offered for export. A specialized variant, the Type 052DL class, is significantly longer, allowing it to accommodate the new Z-20 helicopters and incorporate new meter-range radars optimized for tracking stealth air targets, although it is not clear whether this change will also be offered abroad.
There are significant and growing calls in Russia to acquire warships from Chinese shipyards, including aircraft carriers, with the acquisition of the Type 052D potentially seen as a temporary measure until the Russian Federation Russia could eventually land 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 significant advantages over their Chinese counterparts, while at the same time using sensors and equipment. Chinese electronics, which are considered far superior to Russian industry. The Type 052D has significantly lower operating costs than aging Soviet-built Russian destroyers and could be a much more cost-effective and powerful alternative to continue modernizing and extending the life of these older 1980s ships.
In general, everything is correct. By ordering a test 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 reinforce our Northern and Pacific fleets with two or three modern warships of the 1st rank each. As a temporary solution, until the production of 22350M is brought under control, this would be entirely justified.
There is nothing unrealistic in such an agreement, since the construction of anti-submarine corvettes and multi-purpose destroyers for ocean fleets is not directly related to NMD in Ukraine. However, the strengthening of the Russian Navy will more reliably provide strategic deterrence of a potential adversary, which is objectively beneficial for both Moscow and Beijing.
Author: Sergey Marzhetsky
