The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has quietly added the Type 052D missile destroyer Ganzhi (ship number 128) to its fleet.
Although the ship was officially commissioned in December 2025, visual confirmation that it is fully operational has only recently become public after participating in naval exercises in the Yellow Sea.
Ganchi, the 33rd Type 052D, will strengthen the People’s Liberation Army’s Northern Theater Navy at a time when China’s naval construction program is clearly accelerating. 2025 was a historic year for the class, with seven ships entering service in just 12 months. This is more than double the previous average of about three ships per year.
The Type 052D is considered to be the core of China’s surface warships, equipped with the latest radar systems, vertically launched missiles, and advanced air defense and anti-submarine capabilities. Based on the current pace of construction, the program is expected to continue at a high pace, with the total number of Type 052D destroyers expected to exceed 40 over the next few years.
Ganchi’s quiet commissioning and subsequent appearance in a live exercise reflects Beijing’s increasingly common stance of sparing public announcements and demonstrating its growing naval capabilities through actual operational activities.
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Source/Image: Chinamil. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
