The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has commissioned a new Type 052D guided missile destroyer named Loudi (hull number 176), marking a significant addition to its rapidly expanding fleet. 

This upgraded variant features enhanced phased array radar, weapon systems, and network architecture, substantially improving its capabilities in regional air defence, missile defence, anti-ship strikes, anti-submarine warfare, and formation command.

Crew member Zhang Shengwei highlighted that Loudi can execute long-range assault missions while simultaneously protecting friendly vessels, underscoring its multi-role versatility.

At the heart of Loudi's firepower lies a 64-cell universal vertical launch system (VLS), divided between forward and aft sections, compatible with HHQ-9B surface-to-air missiles for fleet air defence, YJ-18 anti-ship cruise missiles for sea denial, and CJ-10 land-attack missiles for precision shore strikes.

The vessel also mounts a 130mm main gun for surface and shore bombardment, close-in weapon systems for terminal missile defence, and facilities for shipborne helicopters to bolster anti-submarine and reconnaissance operations.

Upgrades to the mast and radar suite, including a dual-face rotating active electronically scanned array (AESA), provide superior target tracking, wider coverage, and resilience against electronic warfare in contested environments.

Loudi entered service in November 2025, contributing to the PLA Navy's impressive 2025 additions of 11 combat vessels, including the advanced aircraft carrier Fujian.

This commissioning exemplifies China's breakneck naval expansion, with observers noting the addition of roughly one ship per month amid efforts to rival US naval dominance. State media and analysts emphasise how these enhancements position the destroyer as a cornerstone for multi-domain operations, integrating seamlessly into carrier strike groups or independent task forces.

The PLA Navy has solidified its position as the world's largest by hull count, operating over 370 warships as of late 2025, compared to the US Navy's approximately 290 vessels.

Projections indicate further growth to 395-425 ships by 2030, propelled by China's shipbuilding capacity, which dwarfs global competitors—its four major yards alone produced 39 warships totalling 550,000 tons displacement between 2019 and 2023.

This numerical edge, coupled with technological leaps in sensors and missiles, challenges US primacy in the Indo-Pacific, prompting Washington to prioritise investments in AI-driven lethality and counter-ship capabilities.

Beyond self-expansion, China bolsters allies through exports, notably supplying Pakistan with eight Hangor-class diesel-electric attack submarines under a $5 billion deal signed in 2015. The fourth boat, PNS Ghazi—the second bearing that name, recalling the 1971 Indo-Pak war loss near Visakhapatnam—launched in December 2025 at Wuchang Shipbuilding in Wuhan, with the first three already delivered or launched.

These air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped submarines enhance Pakistan's undersea deterrence, equipped with advanced sensors and weapons to maintain regional maritime balance, as stated by Pakistani naval officials.

For India, a key stakeholder in Indo-Pacific security, China's naval surge and Pakistan partnerships carry direct implications amid ongoing South China Sea tensions and border frictions. Recent Indian Navy deployments, such as INS Delhi, INS Kiltan, and INS Satpura to the Philippines and Singapore for exercises, alongside the first joint patrol with Manila in the South China Sea, signal New Delhi's counter-push against Beijing's assertiveness.

Indigenous advancements like the BrahMos-armed Nilgiri-class frigate Himgiri and next-generation Project 18 destroyers capable of 144 VLS cells further align with India's goal of a 170-175 warship fleet by 2035.

Operation Sindoor's success in validating systems like BrahMos, Akash, and S-400 underscores India's Atmanirbharta (Self-Reliance) in response to such threats, while test-firings of Prithvi-II and Agni-1 affirm strategic missile readiness.

China's laser communication breakthroughs and hypersonic exports to Pakistan, including Turkey's Tayfun Block-4, amplify regional arms dynamics, prompting Indian experts to eye bunker-busters derived from Agni-V for hardened targets.

As Beijing's fleet grows, quadrilateral partnerships like QUAD and burgeoning defence ties with ASEAN nations position India to safeguard vital sea lanes.

Based On PTI Report

​