China has fully “rebuilt” a Soviet destroyer, erasing its original identity. New images have revealed the Project 956EM destroyer Taizhou of the Chinese Navy after a deep modernization, according to Army Recognition.
The overhaul effectively removes all Soviet and Russian weapon systems, replacing them with fully indigenous Chinese technologies.
Soviet platform gets new “core” and transitions to Chinese strike systems
Project 956EM destroyers are a modernized export version of the Soviet Project 956, originally built at the Severnaya Verf shipyard for the Chinese Navy.
Following the upgrade, the ship received fundamentally new armament: Chinese YJ-12 anti-ship missiles replaced the Moskit system, while the modern HHQ-16 air defense system with vertical launchers replaced the Shtil system.
In total, the system includes up to 48 cells for HQ-16 medium-range missiles and Yu-8 anti-submarine weapons, significantly expanding the ship’s combat capabilities.
Ship defense strengthened with new close-in and countermeasure systems
The modernization also affected close-range defense systems: Russian Kashtan complexes were replaced with Chinese H/PJ-11, and HQ-10A short-range air defense launchers were installed.
The upgrade includes new 324 mm torpedo tubes and modern H/RJZ-726-4A electronic countermeasure systems, improving the ship’s survivability in modern combat conditions.
At the same time, only the 130 mm AK-130 artillery system remains from the original configuration, now the sole element of the vessel’s Soviet legacy.
In recent years, China has built a naval force capable of directly challenging the US. Today, the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) includes:
- More than 370 surface vessels and submarines
- Three aircraft carriers
- Eight destroyers in the 10,000-ton class
- Around 60 submarines
Now, China and Russia are forming what Russian President Vladimir Putin once described as a “partnership without limits.” The two states now coordinate efforts to counter US-led military and political alliances in both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region.
