US Zumwalt & DDG 51 Destroyers Face Threat From China’s Launched, Type 055D Destroyer

Video Above: A Warrior Maven Exclusive Conversation with Industry Experts: David Forster, Chairman, Amphibious Warship Industrial Base Coalition & Rick Giannini, Chairman, Aircraft Carrier Industrial Base Coalition

By Kris Osborn – President & Editor-In-Chief, Warrior Maven

Expressing a clear interest in developing what it referred to as a “blue-water” Navy, the People’s Liberation Army Navy is announcing the arrival of two new quasi-stealthy Type 055 Destroyers. 

While China’s rapid maritime expansion is well known, it seem interesting and significant that a Chinese government-backed newspaper would specifically refer to Chinese shipbuilding in the context of becoming more expansionist, global, expeditionary and “blue-water” capable, as opposed to merely a regional force.

China’s Global Times newspaper quotes a Chinese military expert saying specifically that “China is aiming to build a blue-water navy capable of not only coastal defense but also far sea escort.”

 This ambition is by no means surprising and is of course well documented, China’s own written plans call for the country to be the dominant global force by 2049, if not sooner.

The pace of shipbuilding in terms of China’s domestic industrial capacity is motivating many in the Pentagon to call for a larger US Navy fleet and the potential expansion of shipyard construction.