Luda class destroyer

Zhuhai
Class overview
Builders:	Luda Shipyard Zhonghua Shipyard Dalian Shipyard
Operators:	People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force
Preceded by:	Anshan-class destroyer
Succeeded by:	Type 052
In service:	December 1971
Completed:	17
Active:	5
Laid up:	2
Lost:	1
Retired:	10
Preserved:	5
General characteristics
Displacement:	3,670 tons
Length:	132 m
Beam:	12.8 m
Draught:	4.6 m
Propulsion:	2 steam turbines 72,000 shp (53,700 kW)
Speed:	32 knots (59 km/h)
Range:	2,970 miles
Complement:	280
Armament:	Note: Aramaments listed are for latest 051 modernized variant 16 anti-ship missiles 8 surface-to-air missiles + 16 spare (manual reload) 2 twin-barrel 130 mm dual purpose guns 4 Type 76A dual-37 mm anti-aircraft guns 2 Type 75 anti-submarine rocket systems 6 torpedo tubes Depth charges 38 naval mines
Aircraft carried:	1-2 helicopters: Harbin Z-9C ASW/SAR (Jinan (105) Luda-II only)
Aviation facilities:	Hangar and flight deck Landing assistance system

The Type 051 destroyer (NATO code name Luda class) Guided missile destroyer was the first modern surface warfare oriented vessel ever designed and built in China, and the first Chinese ship to be fitted with an integrated combat direction system. It was usually considered to be based on the Soviet Kotlin class destroyer design though some other sources say the Neustrashimy class destroyer, with some features from the Kotlin class.

China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) decommissioned its Luda-class (Types 051) guided-missile destroyer Nanchang on 8 September, according to the China Military Online website.

The vessel, which served with the PLAN for almost 34 years, was believed to be the country's last active Type 051 destroyer. The ship is set to be sent back to Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, where it is expected to become a tourist attraction at a local military-themed park, the website added.

In the late 1960s, China began testing its long-range rockets for the Chinese space program, as well as the ICBM program. The People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force operated only four ex-Soviet Gnevny class destroyers (Anshan class in PLAN service) at the time, which were unsuitable for long-range ocean recovery missions. The 701 institute was instructed to develop China's first indigenous guided missile destroyer, modelled after the Soviet Kotlin class. The design was approved in 1967, and construction of the first Type 051 Luda class destroyer began in 1968.

A total of 16 Type 051 destroyers were built between 1968 and 1991. 9 remain in service today. Major refit for ships of this class began in the 1990s, replacing the old HY-1/HY-2 with YJ-83 (C-803) missile, and manual guns with automatic guns. For air-defense, an 8-cell HQ-7 Surface-to-air missile system is also installed with the upgrade.

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Wikipedia