The situation of the struggle in the South China Sea is grim, the coast guard version of 052D is exposed, and the "second navy" of the PLA is in place? The US side suddenly realized that the first island chain had long been unable to trap China.
Coast Guard version 052D exposed
A few days ago, a new satellite image of the Jiangnan Shipyard in Shanghai was exposed. According to the images, a new ship appears to be being built inside the shipyard that looks very similar to the PLA Type 052D guided missile destroyer.
According to satellite imagery, the overall layout of the ship is highly similar to that of the Type 052D destroyer, retaining the standard main gun installation area at the front end, and based on the reserved main gun base, it is highly likely that it will be equipped with the same 130 mm caliber main gun as the Type 052D.
【干船坞内的海警版052D】
However, it is worth noting that the system behind the main gun and in the middle of the hull for vertical missile launch has been removed, which also clearly points to the ship's coast guard use.
At present, the top firepower configuration in the Chinese coast guard equipment is reflected in the H/PJ-26 76mm fully automatic naval gun carried on the Type 818 coast guard ship. The firepower of naval guns of this level is enough to crush the maritime law enforcement forces of China's neighboring countries.
Compared with the neighboring countries of the South China Sea such as Vietnam, the Philippines and Malaysia, as well as the maritime law enforcement vessels of East Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea, none of them are equipped with 76mm naval guns of the same or higher class.
It is conceivable that if the firepower is raised to the level of the H/PJ-45 naval gun, the gun has a caliber of 130 mm and a rate of fire of 60 rounds per minute, and its firepower output of a single gun is comparable to that of an artillery battalion of the army.
[130mm naval gun]
This is an extremely high level that is extremely rare on a global scale. It is worth noting that the maximum caliber of naval guns currently used by ships used for law enforcement missions around the world generally does not exceed 100 mm, so such a configuration will undoubtedly significantly improve the law enforcement capabilities and deterrence of the China Coast Guard.
In terms of power system, the coast guard version of 052D, that is, the CG modeling of 052D, also seems to follow the power configuration of the alternating diesel and gas turbines used in the Type 052D destroyer, which not only ensures that the ship has a powerful propulsion comparable to the main destroyer of the Navy, but also provides a solid power foundation for possible subsequent upgrades and "high-energy weapons on the ship".
In addition, the 052D's CG modeling, equipped with a spacious helicopter landing platform and hangar, is presumed to be able to carry the mainland's latest 10-ton Z-20 tactical utility helicopter, giving it similar aerial operations capabilities as the lead destroyer.
【Z-20 Tactical Utility Helicopter】
Therefore, in summary, in addition to quickly responding to maritime incidents and effectively responding to high-intensity maritime conflicts, 052D's CG modeling can also be used as a supplementary force for the main destroyer to perform diversified tasks in specific situations. Therefore, it can also be called the "second navy" of the People's Liberation Army, and it can even start regular ocean law enforcement activities.
The first island chain can no longer trap China
U.S. military experts say that if the China Coast Guard adopts a large number of coast guard ships based on the Type 052D destroyer in the future, it means that the China Coast Guard will appear more frequently in the waters outside the first island chain to carry out missions, and this trend will pose a certain threat to neighbors that have long had maritime disputes with China.
[Hefei Type 052D destroyer]
As we all know, the United States has been trying to use sensitive areas such as the East China Sea, the Taiwan Strait, and the South China Sea to contain China.
In the East China Sea, the United States frequently sends warships through the waters near China's territorial waters, which is full of provocation. In the Taiwan Strait, the United States has constantly hyped up the "Taiwan issue" in an attempt to interfere with China's reunification process. In the South China Sea, the United States has directly intervened in related disputes, destabilizing the situation in the South China Sea and seriously undermining regional peace and stability.
And that's part of the U.S. First Island Chain initiative. The existence of the first island chain can be seen as a means of blockade aimed at limiting the range of activities of the Chinese Navy and preventing it from entering the wider Pacific Ocean.
Especially after the drastic changes in Eastern Europe and the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the concept of the first island chain gradually evolved into a blockade "chain" in which the United States encircled and blockaded China's waters through islands to achieve the main purpose of restricting China's economic development and homeland security.
[The former military base of the U.S. military in Subic Bay, Philippines]
At present, the United States has established a group of military bases in East Asia with Japan and South Korea as the core on the first island chain, as well as a group of Southeast Asian military bases with the Philippines, Singapore and other Southeast Asian countries as the core, in an attempt to use these military base systems to hold China's choke point to the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
The United States has even been inciting the surrounding areas of Chinese mainland to stop stumbling in an attempt to slow down China's progress.
For example, some time ago, the Philippines made frequent provocations on the South China Sea issue, and after that, although Marcos Jr. declared that he "had no intention of inciting war", he "praised" the Philippine personnel for their bravery and continued to perform their duties.
The American "eagle dogs" around China have even colluded in an attempt to threaten China. Just some time ago, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida also promised Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that Japan's Self-Defense Forces would regularly participate in the "shoulder-to-shoulder" exercise between the United States and the Philippines, and at the same time export air defense radars to the Philippines and provide five sets of coastal surveillance radars.
[American "eagle dogs" collude]
All of them are aimed at China. But the Chinese side has long been prepared, and the coast guard version of 052D is just a microcosm of it.
But just a "small gesture" has scared them out. As for the "transfer" of the 052D large military ship to the coast guard team, some people will think that using a coast guard ship like the 052D CG to deal with these young people in the Philippines is too extravagant, and it is really a "knife to kill chickens".
But in fact, it is precisely because of the existence of these "iron guards" at sea that the country's firm determination to safeguard sovereignty is further demonstrated, and it is also an impregnable Great Wall of the sea, which forms a strong deterrent to any country and force that tries to challenge China's sovereignty and dignity.
It is precisely these giant coast guard vessels, with their huge bodies and powerful equipment, that send a clear and strong signal that any violation of China's sovereignty will face unbearable consequences.