China’s first Type 055 destroyer Nanchang commissioned

The Nanchang, China’s first Type 055 guided-missile destroyer, was commissioned in the People’s Liberation Army Navy on Sunday morning in the port city of Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province.

The 10,000 tonne-class destroyer officially debuted at the multinational naval parade in celebration of the Chinese navy’s 70th founding anniversary on April 23, 2019.

Launched on June 28, 2017, the destroyer was equipped with new air defense, anti-missile, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons, said a statement from the Navy.

 The commission of Nanchang marks the Navy’s leap from the third generation to the fourth generation of destroyers, according to the statement.