After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave the green light for the Israeli military to launch a ground attack on Gaza to destroy Hamas, it is predicted that the escalation in the Middle East will become more intense, especially as Israel has threatened to carry out an attack on Iran if Hezbollah joins the ground war.
Even though China is geographically far from the Middle East, China's status as a 'new' superpower which has military assets in East Africa (Djibouti), is reported to have deployed its fleet to the Middle East region, especially to the East Mediterranean Sea, in order to respond to the ongoing conflict. worsened.
Quoted from the South China Morning Post – scmp.com (19/10/2023), the Chinese Navy is said to have deployed six warships to the Middle East. A group of warships from the PLA's 44th Naval Escort Task Force on October 14 left Muscat Beach, heading for an undisclosed region of the Middle East.
The deployment of the Chinese warship fleet will be an interesting moment, because in the waters of the Eastern Mediterranean a US Navy battle group consisting of two aircraft carriers has been perched, on a mission to support Israeli military operations.
Meanwhile, three units of Chinese Navy warships are now in the Middle East, consisting of the destroyer Zibo (156) – Type 052DL class, frigate Jingzhou (532) – Type 054A class, tanker and logistics ship Qiandaohu (886) – Type 903A class.
Then there are three warships heading for the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, namely the destroyer Ürümqi (118) – Type 052DL class, the frigate Linyi (547) – Type 054A class, the tanker and logistics ship Dongpinghu (960) – Type 903A class.
Of the six warships deployed by the Dragon, they can be grouped into three classes.
The Type 052DL is a destroyer with the largest vertical launch system (VLS) in the world, capable of launching the YJ-21 hypersonic anti-ship ballistic missile. This destroyer is equipped with a 64 cell VLS, making the Type 052DL the largest warship in the Dragon Fleet.
The YJ-21 missile has a range of 1,500 kilometers and a speed of Mach 10. The 64 cell VLS on this destroyer is also designed to launch the YJ-18 anti-ship missile, HHQ-9 long-range Hanud missile, Type 8 (YU-8) rocket-assisted torpedo , and the CJ-10 land-attack cruise missile.
The Type 052DL destroyer's armament includes a 130 mm bow cannon, a Type 1130 close-in weapon system, a torpedo launcher, and an HQ-10 short-range hanud missile system. The destroyer can carry Z-9C transport helicopters or Z-20F anti-submarine helicopters.
The Type 052DL class destroyer displaces 7,700 tons (full load), this destroyer has a length of 162 meters, a width of 17.2 meters, a draft of 6.2 meters and a crew of 280 sailors.
Type 054A class frigate
The Type 054A frigate is a type of warship that is respected in the region. This frigate produced by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard has a full displacement of 4,053 tons. Entering Chinese Navy service in June 2007, now at least 30 Type 054A units are fully operational. In fact, the Type 054A is considered to be in demand in exports, it is recorded that Pakistan (2 units) and Thailand (3 units) have ordered this type of multirole frigate.
From the weapons aspect, the Type 054A carries the HQ-16 medium range Hanud missile which is launched using a VLS (Vertical Launching System). In one sail, this missile is placed into 32 launch cells on the bow. Meanwhile, anti-ship missiles are entrusted to the 2×4 C-803 anti-ship missile.
This frigate is equipped with a PJ26 cannon of 76 mm caliber on the bow side, while to repel close-range air attacks, there are two CIWS (Close In Weapon System) Type 730 cannons of 30 mm caliber. It seems that this frigate is also quite adaptive for fighting underwater warfare. At least the Type 054A is equipped with a Yu-8 anti submarine rocket launcher, 2 × triple tube 324mm Yu-7 ASW torpedo launchers and 2 × Type 726-4 18-tube decoy rocket launchers.
Equipped with hangar facilities, the Type 054A can carry 1 Kamov Ka-28 'Helix' or Harbin Z-9C anti-submarine helicopter. This frigate, which is 134.1 meters long and 16 meters wide, is a Chinese warship that carries out many international duties.
Type 903A class tanker
Type 093A Qiandaohu Class in NATO code is referred to as Fuchi Class. The first unit, known as the Type 903, entered service with the Chinese Navy in 2003. Then subsequent production was referred to as the Type 903A with a number of modifications.
Built by Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard, the Type 903A has been built in a total of six units. The Type 903A's first ship, named Taihu, entered service on 18 June 2013, after being launched on 22 March 2012.
The Type 903A tanker displaces 23,400 tons, the length of this ship is 178.5 meters and the width is 24.8 meters. The capacity that can be carried includes 10,500 tons of fuel oil, 250 tons of fresh water and 680 tons of cargo containing military equipment and munitions.
The Type 903A is powered by two diesel engines producing 24,000 hp. The maximum speed of this ship is 20 knots and the cruising distance is 18,520 km at an economic speed of 14 knots. With a crew of 130 personnel, the Type 903A is armed with four H/PJ76F 37 mm double-barreled cannons. The Type 903A is also equipped with fairly large hangar facilities, the Type 903A includes a medium-sized helicopter of the Z-8 or Z-9 type.