Face to face with the Philippines, the 055 destroyer inserted itself into the Nimitz aircraft carrier battle group, and the US military has suffered a great loss of face this time!
Satellite images show that at least three 055-class destroyers are about 200 kilometers south of Huangyan Island, encountering the U.S. Navy's "Nimitz" aircraft carrier strike group. In the footage, the 055 destroyers took a high-speed navigation posture to cut through the U.S. fleet, breaking the originally tight carrier escort formation into fragmented units.
At the same time, the composition of the U.S. "Nimitz" aircraft carrier strike group is clearly visible: including the "Gridley" destroyer (DDG-101), the "Wayne E. Mayer" destroyer (DDG-108), and four other escort vessels. However, the U.S. ships were unable to form an effective interception under the maneuvering of the 055 destroyers.
The "star" of this confrontation, the 055-class destroyer, has become the most troublesome figure for the Pentagon due to its solid parameters: with a full-load displacement of 13,000 tons, far exceeding the U.S. current "Arleigh Burke"-class destroyers; it is equipped with 112 universal vertical launch system cells, supporting the "one cell four missiles" technology, capable of carrying hundreds of missiles, including the YJ-21 supersonic anti-ship missile with a range of over 1,500 kilometers; it adopts integrated radar technology, achieving dual-band radar interference-free detection, a technical challenge in electromagnetic compatibility that only China has overcome.
In contrast to the 055's bold display, the U.S. "Nimitz" aircraft carrier shows signs of decline: having served for 50 years, it was originally scheduled to be retired in 2026, but due to the delay in the delivery of the "Ford"-class carriers, it has been extended in deployment. On October 26, it crashed one MH-60R helicopter and one F/A-18F fighter within half an hour in the South China Sea, and the accident suspect points to fuel contamination or equipment aging. This deployment has lasted seven months, exceeding the usual six-month cycle, and the ship's fatigue and crew exhaustion have increased operational risks.
The current U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups are no longer what they used to be. The days when they could rely on the carrier group to intimidate China have long gone.
Original text: www.toutiao.com/article/1847752613742596/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.