5 modern weapons China copied from the US

China has been making unprecedented investments to develop its navy over the past decade, with the most notable achievements being building an aircraft carrier and commissioning many new nuclear submarines.

Type 052D destroyer

The Type-052D class multi-purpose destroyer is very similar to the US Arleigh Burke class in both appearance and mission.

Type-052D is equipped with 64 vertical missile launch tubes (VLS).

In addition, the ship is also equipped with 8 YJ-83 anti-ship missiles, 100 mm main gun, two Type-1130 close-in defense weapon systems (CIWS), 6 anti-submarine torpedoes and 4 rocket launchers.

Type-056 light corvette

Massively produced with at least 32 units in service since 2013, Type-056 is classified as a small corvette used for maritime patrol, especially in disputed areas.

This is a combination of defensive weapons and powerful anti-ship and anti-submarine capabilities.

Type-056 is equipped with the FL-3000N missile complex, each with 8 shells to intercept enemy anti-ship missiles.

The ship is also equipped with a landing pad and hangar for a Z-9 helicopter, along with two anti-submarine torpedo launch tubes.

Type-071 landing ship

This is the backbone of China’s amphibious ship force.

China’s Type-071 class main amphibious ship

One of three Type-071 class amphibious ships

The Type-071 can carry a marine battalion with a force of 500-800 soldiers, along with two compartments for 18-20 armored amphibious vehicles, 4 air cushion ships and 4 Z-8 helicopters.

The main mission of this class of ships is to deploy infantry at long distances, where there is no support from ground or air forces.

Type-815 electronic reconnaissance ship

The highlight of the Type-815 class electronic reconnaissance ship is the cluster of three spherical domes.

Western experts believe that the Type-815 is a spy ship, with the function of monitoring the activities and receiving electronic intelligence signals of foreign navies, then transmitting the data to China for analysis.

Weapons on the Type-815 are very limited, including only one manually operated 37 mm gun, two 25 mm dual barrel guns and three anti-submarine torpedoes.

Type-920 hospital ship

Type-920 is a second generation hospital ship built by Guangzhou shipyard.

China’s Type-920 class hospital ship

The Type-920 ship participated in the RIMPAC 2016 exercise in the US

Similar in function and design to the US Mercy class, the Type-920 is a fully equipped floating hospital with 500 beds, 35 intensive care rooms, 12 operating rooms, capable of performing 60 surgeries.

The only one with the number 866 went to Africa, the Indian Ocean and South Asia in 2010 as well as Central American waters in 2011 to do humanitarian relief missions.