Kunming, China’s first Type 052D destroyer. (Internet photo)

China’s fourth Type 052D guided-missile destroyer — Chengdu — has been launched by the PLA Navy, reports China’s Global Times.

The Type 052D is one of the most powerful naval combat systems in PLA Navy service. A modified version of its predecessor, the Type 052C, the Type 052D adds a new 130mm main gun, equipping it with both sea-to-air and sea-to-land attack capabilities. It also has the Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system.

The Chengdu is the 10th Chinese surface combat vessel to be referred as the “Chinese Aegis.” With AESA radar and a 64-cell vertical launching system, the destroyer is comparable to Arleigh Burke-class destroyers in the US Navy. It also boasts advanced weapons systems such as HQ-9 long-range air defense missiles and DH-10 cruise missiles.

The nation’s first Type 052D destroyer — Kunming — has completed a test of its propulsion systems in the East China Sea, according to the report.

China is now capable of deploying between two and three advanced surface combat ships while Japan is limited to one. In addition, China is designing a new Type 055 guided-missile destroyer comparable to the US Zumwalt-class. Equipped with a railgun and HQ-26 surface-to-air missiles, the Type 055 will serve as PLA Navy’s main surface combat ship between 2020 and 2030.

70,600 gross ton carrier Prince of Wales’ s flight deck and hangar believed to be a £44m contract

Work is under way to build sections of the Royal Navy’s second £3bn aircraft supercarrier on Merseyside.

The 70,600 gross ton carrier Prince of Wales’ s flight deck and hangar are being built at Cammell Laird shipyard, Birkenhead , in what is believed to be a £44m contract.

One section of hangar deck is already well under way and the steel for the second is being delivered this month for construction to start in January.

The modules consist of 370 compartments weighing 6,100 tons in total with more than 23,000 metres of pipework and 65km of cabling.

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Cammell Laird through the years

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It follows Laird’s successful construction and delivery of flight deck and hangar modules for the first supercarrier Queen Elizabeth in May, 2012.

The completed modules were loaded on barges and towed to the Firth of Forth for assembly into Queen Elizabeth at Rosyth Royal Dockyard, Scotland.

The carriers are the biggest warships built for the Royal Navy and they are being constructed in sections at shipyards around the country under the auspices of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance consortium.

John Syvret, Cammell Laird chief executive, said: “We’re delighted to be involved in constructing sections of the second Queen Elizabeth class aircraft supercarrier.

“We are working hard on all fronts and I think we were successful getting this contract as the Aircraft Carrier Alliance recognised what we achieved previously in terms of quality, production, safety and value for money.”

Prince of Wales will be 932ft long, powered by Rolls-Royce Marine Trent gas turbines geared to twin screws, with a top speed of 25 knots and able to carry 40 aircraft.

The warship will be twice the size of the RN’s current sole aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, which has visited Liverpool several times.

Prince of Wales will be officially affiliated with the city of Liverpool, as revealed in the Liverpool Post back in 2008, and is due to enter service in 2018.

Commodore John Madgwick, the then North of England Regional Naval Commander, based in Liverpool, who lobbied for the affiliation said it made practical sense as this is one of the very few UK ports big enough to berth the supercarrier, whose home port will be Portsmouth.

Construction on Prince of Wales began in May, 2011, with the first steel being cut at Govan shipyard, Clydebank.

Laird’s success in winning the second supercarrier contract benefits many other companies in the regional supply chain, like R Baker (Electrical), of Speke for lighting and transformers, and Kingspan, of Holywell, Clwyd, for insulated panels.

Mystery surrounds arrival of mega-yacht at Cammell Laird