Type 051B-class (Luhai)

The Type 051B destroyer, NATO reporting name Luhai, is a guided-missile destroyer operated by the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Built by Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company, the class consists of a single vessel, Shenzhen. Developed as part of a series of experimental ship classes with short production runs, the design followed the Type 052 destroyer and served as the baseline for the subsequent Type 051C class. The vessel was laid down in 1996 and commissioned in December 1998.

The hull design shares similarities with the Type 052 but features increased width for stability and habitability. It was the first PLAN warship to utilize a combined diesel or gas powerplant with Ukrainian gas turbines, which were adopted after American-made turbines became unavailable. The ship is equipped with a hangar for two helicopters. Initial systems included the ZKJ-7 combat management system and a suite of air and surface search radars. During a major overhaul from 2014 through 2016, the vessel’s configuration was modified. Changes included enclosing the quarterdeck and relocating the air search radar to the forward mast to eliminate blind spots. The armament was upgraded from the original configuration of 100mm naval guns, 37mm anti-aircraft guns, and HQ-7 surface-to-air missiles to a vertical launching system for HHQ-16 missiles and YJ-12 anti-ship missiles. Defensive systems were updated to include the Type 1130 close-in weapon system, a towed array sonar, and a torpedo decoy system.

Shenzhen is based at Zhanjiang and has served as a flagship for the South Sea Fleet. The vessel conducted the PLAN's first goodwill visits to Africa in 2000, Europe in 2001, and Japan in 2007. In 2009, the ship deployed to the Gulf of Aden as part of the second Chinese anti-piracy task force, followed by port visits to Pakistan and India.