Preemptive Strike: How the "10,000-ton Destroyer" Achieves Beyond-Visual-Range Engagements

Recently, the 055 destroyer family welcomed new members, the Dongguan (hull number 109) and the Anqing (hull number 110), which were unveiled simultaneously. The 055 destroyer is China's independently developed fourth-generation destroyer, capable of "detecting the enemy first and firing first" in maritime combat. What technology makes its "eyes" so bright? Let's uncover how the "10,000-ton big destroyer" achieves beyond-visual-range strikes.

On traditional warships, numerous radar, electronic warfare, and communication system antennas are concentrated on the upper part of the vessel, leading to severe mutual interference, which weakens radar detection effectiveness and reduces electronic jamming effectiveness due to competition for spectrum resources.

However, radio frequency integrated technology solves this problem.

It constructs a super information hub, unifying the scheduling of various electronic devices, integrating and processing all perception information, and achieving the integration of radar, electronic warfare, communication, navigation, and other radio frequency functions. Through resource sharing, it significantly enhances the ship's battlefield perception capabilities.

Early warning aircraft + “10,000-ton big destroyer”

Initiating beyond-visual-range strikes

However, battlefield challenges still exist. Enemy anti-ship missile raids and stealth aircraft approaching beyond visual range will significantly compress the radar detection window of the ship. To secure precious early warning and decision-making time for the vessel, the answer lies in the higher skies.

Shortly after the "battle" commenced, radar operators quickly locked onto the "enemy" surface target based on data pushed from the early warning aircraft, and after a round of salvo, the target was successfully destroyed. This jointly generated three-dimensional reconnaissance network broadens the perspective of the entire combat formation, reducing blind spots.

Naval Officer Wang Mingwei from the Lhasa: We communicate battlefield situation with the early warning aircraft in the air through data links, which is a means to broaden battlefield situational awareness. Its greatest assistance to us is mainly reflected in two aspects: at sea and in the air, as it can provide beyond-visual-range targets.

The early warning aircraft serves as the "heavenly eye" of system operations, helping the combat formation efficiently strike enemy maritime and island targets from ultra-long distances. This method of information connectivity has led to a qualitative leap in the information perception capabilities and joint air-sea combat capabilities of the 055 destroyer.

Wei Dongxu: Within the framework of integrated air and sea operations, the early warning aircraft can effectively detect aerial targets and, with the assistance of other detection systems, better track and locate maritime targets.

Of course, it can also send information and coordinates of high-value enemy maritime targets detected and located by advanced drones at the front to the large 10,000-ton destroyers.

For instance, against enemy aircraft carriers, destroyers, cruisers, and related large amphibious warships, the 055 destroyer can conduct beyond-visual-range fire strikes, launching a large number of anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, or hypersonic anti-ship ballistic missiles to provide precise fire coverage on targets.

This allows for an extended engagement distance, preventing the enemy from retaliating or threatening the 055 destroyer. Supported by the airborne early warning command platform, the 055 destroyer possesses the capability to take the initiative, fire first, and eliminate the enemy first. (Source: China Central Television's Defense Military Channel program "Forging the Sword")