Type 055 Zunyi conducts anti-submarine warfare exercise in the South China Sea

The People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is continuing to develop the operational validation of its largest warships. In recent days, one of its modern Type 055 destroyers, Zunyi (107), carried out an anti-submarine warfare exercise in the South China Sea, one of the most sensitive and operationally complex maritime regions, further strengthening a key element of its combat capability.

Type 055 Zunyi anti-submarine warfare exercise

According to Chinese state media, the drill used an unscripted, realistic training format, pitting the destroyer against a submarine in a scenario requiring reconnaissance, early detection and sustained tracking. During the exercise, Zunyi was assigned airborne early-warning and surveillance tasks in support of a naval task force, successfully acquiring the target and sharing data in real time to create a comprehensive picture of the tactical environment.

PLAN officers stressed that anti-submarine warfare is among the most demanding aspects of modern naval combat. Zunyi’s performance therefore relied on a systematic process involving prior analysis of the operating area, precise calculations before contact, strict control throughout the exercise and a detailed post-exercise assessment.

The Type 055’s anti-submarine capability

While the Type 055 destroyer has received widespread recognition for its area air-defence and anti-ship strike capabilities, the exercise again underlines its potential in anti-submarine warfare. Chinese analysts note that its greater displacement enables it to accommodate larger, longer-range hull-mounted and towed sonars than those fitted to the current Type 052D destroyers or Type 054A frigates, as well as new acoustic technologies that could improve the detection and classification of submarine contacts at greater distances.

Type 055 guided-missile destroyers have platforms approximately 180 metres long with a beam of 22 metres. They can carry substantial quantities of equipment and remain at sea for longer periods than the previous generation of destroyers. In terms of armament, the vessels are fitted with 130 mm guns and 48- and 64-cell vertical launch systems (VLS) for anti-ship missiles, HHQ-9 surface-to-air missiles and anti-submarine missiles. The Chinese Navy currently operates nine of these platforms; the newest, still unnamed, began sea trials in early 2025.

Zunyi’s recent deployments and long-range training

Having spent more than 200 days at sea and travelled over 50,000 nautical miles during the past year, Zunyi has taken part in exercises with aircraft carrier groups, combat patrols in the South China Sea and long-range training in distant waters. One of the most significant recent events, however, was the launch of a YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile from the Type 055 destroyer Wuxi, the first time such a launch had been conducted from a Chinese warship.

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