How will the Type 055 stand up to Large Surface Combatant which will be procured in 2026 and enter service by 2029-30?
Since the original type 055 is being said to be limited to 8 units, the next in line will be an upgraded type 055a which should have a newer sensors and more refined shape to be more survivable against the upcoming LSC.
The design parameters for LSC haven't been frozen yet, but indications are present that suggest it being a zumwalt derivative, albeit with constraints on a few 'exotic' systems such as LO features to limit its price to some $4B(Note: Arleigh burke already costs $2B today, add in a new design, larger radars and propulsion, inflation and there isnt a whole lot of wiggle room left). If anymore fancy systems are requested like the AGS etc., then i'm afraid it'll face the same cost overrun and eventual Nunn-McCurdisation of numbers that happened to the zumwalt class.
The first LSC(on schedule) is supposed to be ordered in 2025, delivered in 2028 and enter service in 2030. That gives plenty of time for PLA navy to catch up, considering the fact that they have almost entirely renewed their fleet in the past decade.
