Type 051 destroyer
History
China
Name
  • Xi'an
  • (西安)
NamesakeXi'an
BuilderLuda Shipyard, Liaoning
LaunchedSeptember 1970
Commissioned28 November 1974
Decommissioned29 September 2007
IdentificationPennant number: 106
StatusMuseum ship at Wuhan Science and Technology Museum, Wuhan
General characteristics
Class and typeType 051 destroyer
Displacement3,670 tons
Length132 m (433 ft 1 in)
Beam12.8 m (42 ft 0 in)
Draught4.6 m (15 ft 1 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 steam turbines
  • 72,000 shp (53,700 kW)
Speed32 knots (59 km/h)
Range2,970 miles
Complement280
Armament

Xi'an (106) is a Type 051 destroyer of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

Development and design

The PLAN began designing a warship armed with guided missiles in 1960 based on the Soviet Neustrashimy, with features from the Kotlin-class destroyer, but the Sino-Soviet split stopped work. Work resumed in 1965[1] with nine ships being ordered.[2][1] Construction started in 1968, with trials beginning in 1971. The ships nominally entered service in the early 1970s, but few were fully operational before 1985; workmanship was poor due to the Cultural Revolution.[1]

Construction of the second batch began in 1977,[3] with the last commissioning in 1991.[4] The second batch may have been ordered due to the Cultural Revolution disrupting development of a successor class.[1] These ships may be designated Type 051D.[3] The PLAN initiated an abortive modernization program for the first batch in 1982. The ships would be reconstructed with British weapons and sensors acquired from British Aerospace. The Falklands War made the prospective upgrades less impressive and cost effective, and the project was cancelled in 1984. A 1986 upgrade project using American power plants, weapons, sensors, and computers was cancelled because of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.[1]

Construction and career

Xi'an was launched in September 1970 at the Luda Shipyard in Shanghai. Commissioned on 28 November 1974.

She was decommissioned on 29 September 2007 and towed to Wuhan Science and Technology Museum, Wuhan to serve as a museum ship.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Forecast International: page 4
  2. ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships 2004-2005: p. 127
  3. 1 2 Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010: p. 139
  4. ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010: p. 140

30°34′46″N 114°17′45″E / 30.5794460°N 114.2958960°E / 30.5794460; 114.2958960

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