The Type 052D guided missile destroyer Ganzi (Hull 128) of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy holds a comprehensive, combat-oriented training exercise in an undisclosed sea area in the Yellow Sea in early 2026. Photo: Screenshot from the military channel of China Central Television

The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy has commissioned yet another new Type 052D guided missile destroyer, the Ganzi (Hull Number 128), with its training footage released by official media on Thursday. A Chinese military affairs expert said that the Type 052D is a very capable class of warship that is suitable for mass production and continued upgrades, and ships of this class are making significant contributions to China’s national defense.

Recently, the warship Ganzi affiliated with a naval destroyer attachment has advanced independently to an undisclosed sea area in the Yellow Sea to conduct a comprehensive, combat-oriented training exercise featuring multiple subjects and full operational elements under complex sea conditions, the military channel of China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Thursday.

The Ganzi finished a series of training subjects including anti-submarine operations, night anchoring, mooring and unmooring from buoys, maritime rescue, and helicopter takeoff and landing, according to the CCTV report.

These drills have effectively enhanced the naval officers and sailors’ sustained combat capabilities and emergency response capabilities, laying a solid foundation for the ship to form combat effectiveness at an early date, the CCTV report said.

The Ganzi is not the first newly commissioned Type 052D destroyer that has been officially announced this year. On January 1, a CCTV report revealed that the Type 052D guided missile destroyer Loudi has entered service with the PLA Navy.

Zhang Junshe, a Chinese military affairs expert, told the Global Times on Thursday that the Type 052D is by far the most widely built destroyer in the PLA Navy fleet, with dozens of vessels of this class having been unveiled in public reports.

In terms of the capabilities of this vessel class, it is the first type of destroyer in the PLA Navy fleet to be equipped with universal vertical launch systems, which enable the integrated deployment of a diverse range of missiles including anti-ship and air defense munitions. Additionally, it boasts robust area air defense capabilities, meaning its open-sea combat performance allows it to act as a "bodyguard" for aircraft carriers alongside the Type 055 large destroyers, Zhang said.

Notably, according to the video footage of the CCTV report, the Ganzi’s main mast radar has been upgraded to a rotating dual-faced array, compared with the original mast radar on earlier Type 052D destroyers.

Zhang said that this new type of radar essentially eliminates detection blind spots. He explained that this upgrade not only enhances the ship’s stealth performance and survivability at sea, but also enables the radar to achieve all-angle unobstructed detection with an extended detection range.

The Type 052D’s continuous upgrades have extended its detection range and enhanced its firepower strike capability, solidifying its position as a backbone force of the PLA Navy’s surface fleet, Zhang said, noting that destroyers of this class are making significant contributions to safeguarding China's national sovereignty, security and development interests, while also fulfilling China's international responsibilities and obligations in missions such as escort operations in the Gulf of Aden.