Before the construction of the Type 055 destroyer is even completed, the concept for the next generation of ten-thousand-ton destroyers has already surfaced!
Recently, the design of the next-generation destroyer appeared in a master’s thesis from Harbin Engineering University.
From the images, it is clear: this class of destroyer is equipped with an electromagnetic railgun, laser close-in weapon system, microwave close-in weapon system, 144-unit vertical launch system, integrated stealth mast, and podded electric propulsion.
Additionally, it is equipped with unmanned surface vessels and unmanned underwater vehicles.
Based on the information provided in the images, we can get an idea of the basic performance of the new generation destroyer.
Stealth Capabilities of the New Generation Destroyer
Judging by the appearance of the new generation destroyer in the thesis, it is almost like a stealth version of the Type 055 destroyer.
All equipment that can be integrated is integrated. The upper part of the bridge only retains an integrated stealth mast, while the hull only features the electromagnetic railgun, laser close-in weapon system, microwave weapons, decoy launchers, and integrated RF antennas.
Compared to the Type 055 destroyer, the new generation destroyer internalizes infrared, electro-optical, and electronic warfare antennas, making the appearance more streamlined and reducing external equipment, thereby significantly enhancing stealth capabilities. At the very least, it is expected to be more stealthy than the Type 055 destroyer.
After all, the hull of the Type 055 destroyer is still filled with numerous antennas and equipment, which undoubtedly increases the radar cross-section, thus increasing the likelihood of being detected by enemy radar.
In terms of appearance, the stealth capabilities of China’s new generation destroyer are already comparable to the DDG-1000 class destroyer, with a higher degree of equipment integration.
Displacement of the New Generation Destroyer
Generally, the block coefficient of a destroyer ranges from 0.4 to 0.6, and the length of the new generation destroyer is 200 meters, with an estimated waterline length of around 185 meters.
The width is 25 meters, with a waterline width of 23 meters; the draft can be set at 7 meters, considering that the length and width of the new generation destroyer are larger than the Type 055 destroyer.
With these calculations, its displacement is about 18,000 tons, which is 5,000 tons more than the Type 055 destroyer.
This additional volume is used to increase the 32-unit vertical launch system and to carry more fuel and living supplies.
Weapon Systems of the New Generation Destroyer
The appearance design of the new generation destroyer is modeled after the Type 055 destroyer but uses more advanced technology, further improving the integration of onboard equipment.
In terms of appearance design alone, the improvement is not significant, not even as good as the recently revealed stealth test ship.
However, the onboard weapons it utilizes are quite futuristic, basically meeting the expectations of Chinese military enthusiasts for a new generation destroyer.
For example, it features an electromagnetic railgun, laser close-in weapon system, microwave close-in weapon system, 144-unit vertical launch system, unmanned underwater vehicles, unmanned surface vessels, and an all-electric propulsion system.
Most of the onboard weapons of the new generation destroyer are achievable since many are already existing technologies.
However, due to the power supply capacity of the ship and the power requirements of the weapons themselves, it is currently not suitable for installation.
In the future, as technology advances, the more futuristic onboard weapons will inevitably become a reality.
China has already developed an electromagnetic railgun and tested it on the ship Bisheng. Unfortunately, the project was halted due to betrayal, but a new electromagnetic railgun with a range of 25 kilometers and a maximum speed of Mach 5 has been developed. Therefore, in the field of electromagnetic railguns, China’s existing technology is not inferior to that of other countries.
Electromagnetic railguns are major power consumers, and with so many electronic systems on destroyers, solving the power generation and storage problem is crucial for the railgun to be installed.
Laser Close-In Weapon System
China’s existing laser weapon is mainly the Silent Hunter. The output power of this laser close-in weapon system is only 30 kW, which is sufficient to intercept slow-flying drones.
However, it is not very effective against fast-flying anti-ship missiles.
Therefore, increasing the power of the laser close-in weapon system is necessary, at least to the 100 kW level, to replace close-in rapid-fire guns as the ship’s defense system.
Microwave Weapons
Microwave weapons are similar to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) bombs but emit a directed electromagnetic pulse to destroy the electronic systems of incoming anti-ship missiles, causing them to malfunction and crash.
In principle, microwave close-in weapons can be considered a form of hard kill, as they use high transmission power to burn out the integrated circuits inside incoming missiles.
In fact, the electromagnetic railgun, laser close-in weapon system, microwave weapons, and podded propulsion are all significant power consumers.
Podded Propulsion System
Currently, China has achieved 100% domestication of the 10 MW podded propulsion system.
However, there is still a significant gap between this and the power requirements of the ship’s propulsion system. At least a 100 MW power increase is needed to meet the propulsion needs of the vessel.
This means that the new generation destroyer must have strong power generation and storage capabilities. Without sufficient electrical power, how can the ship’s high-power-consuming equipment operate?
China’s civilian flywheel energy storage system can store up to 100 MW, and the military’s supercapacitor storage capacity has not been disclosed.
However, it can be used in the electromagnetic catapults of the aircraft carrier Fujian, indicating a considerable storage capacity.
While one is civilian and the other is for aircraft carriers, miniaturizing the energy storage equipment to fit into the destroyer would be ideal.
Even with storage devices, a high-power generator is still needed. China has already overcome the technical bottleneck of the 20 MW marine steam turbine generator.
Therefore, there is no shortage of power generation equipment. The key is to enhance the laser close-in weapon system’s power and the microwave weapon’s power to make them truly functional as the ship’s close-in defense systems.
Based on current technology, whether it is the electromagnetic railgun, laser close-in weapon system, or microwave weapons, none have reached practical application levels.
This is due to limitations in both their own power and the ship’s power generation capacity. Although these advanced weapons are not currently feasible for destroyers, it does not mean they will be unattainable in the future.
As the next-generation destroyer equipment, it is uncertain when it will begin construction, given that the Type 055 destroyer is still being built on a large scale.
However, this provides a target for other countries’ shipbuilding industries to chase. It is foreseeable that the competition for the next-generation destroyer will be between China and the United States.