China's navy is accelerating the "making of a dumpling" with its Aegis destroyers, and the US military's once-proud achievement will be trampled underfoot, thus dominating globally

In recent years, China's navy has developed rapidly, especially drawing much attention. Take for example the Aegis destroyers equipped with advanced phased array radars and missile vertical launching systems. They are being built and commissioned at a fast pace, becoming a hot topic that the world's navies are watching closely. By 2025, in terms of both quantity and quality of surface warships, China's navy will have a striking platform that is flying up like a rocket, rapidly catching up to and even possibly surpassing the U.S. Navy. This means that the global maritime power structure is about to undergo significant changes!

Lately, the construction and commissioning of warships by the Chinese Navy has entered a new peak period. Take the 7,800-ton general Aegis destroyers as an example. Recently, there was good news. One ship named Heze, with the hull number 126, and another ship with the hull number 127, Rikaze, have been successively delivered to the navy and started to serve. Moreover, another ship of the same type is also almost finished with its outfitting work and will soon be painted with the hull number.

Additionally, the 13,000-ton class 055 large destroyers have continued to be constantly constructed. Some people have roughly counted, and so far this year, at least 7 Aegis destroyers have been commissioned. According to this trend, by the end of the year, the number of Aegis destroyers commissioned may reach 8, or even go up to 10, which will definitely set a new world record! This number far exceeds the historical record of China in 2019, which was "10 Aegis destroyers launched in one year," and it also surpasses the U.S. record of "4 Aegis destroyers launched in one year" during the 1980s.

More astonishingly, the total tonnage of major warships expected to be delivered by the Chinese Navy in 2025 is projected to exceed 200,000 tons. If underwater vessels are included, the total tonnage could reach an even more terrifying level. This scale is equivalent to adding the combat capability of an entire French Navy in a year. The total tonnage of all French Navy vessels is around 3.6 million to 3.7 million tons, and the total tonnage of its main combat vessels is less than 2.5 million tons. When compared, it becomes very obvious. Not only can we see that the number and tonnage of our naval vessels have greatly changed, but it also indicates that the quality level of our navy must have made a significant improvement, and it will surely become stronger and stronger in the future!

The rapid construction of warships by the Chinese Navy, likened to "making dumplings," is not just about building a few ships or pursuing quantity. It is actually a strategic arrangement that emphasizes both the scale of shipbuilding and the quality of the ships. Currently, the number of 052D series general Aegis destroyers in service has already exceeded 30. Moreover, according to the current trend, the number might increase to 48 or even 50 in the next three years! In addition to 16 13,000-ton 055-class destroyers and 6 052C-class destroyers, the total number of Aegis destroyers in the Chinese Navy is expected to reach 70, and the total scale of destroyers will first approach the 80 Aegis destroyers currently in service in the U.S. Navy.

At the same time, the U.S. Navy's warships are accelerating their decline. All of its Ticonderoga-class cruisers have been retired, and only 3 DDG-1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers have been commissioned due to performance limitations and cost issues, making it difficult to form combat capability. In contrast, China's 055-class destroyers, with a displacement of 13,000 tons, 112 vertical launch system cells, and advanced radar systems, demonstrate comprehensive combat capabilities far exceeding those of the U.S. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

The continuous commissioning of Aegis destroyers by the Chinese Navy reflects its strategic goal of shifting from "coastal defense" to "oceanic competition." The following aspects reveal its deeper reasons:

Geopolitical Strategic Needs: China needs a strong navy to maintain the security of maritime channels, protect overseas interests, and establish strategic deterrence in sensitive waters. As a multi-dimensional threat response platform, Aegis destroyers are the core support of this strategy.

The rise of China's shipbuilding industry has provided a solid foundation for its naval expansion. In 2025, China's total shipbuilding tonnage has already accounted for over 50% of the global share, and shipyards such as Jiangnan and Dalian are capable of simultaneously constructing multiple 10,000-ton warships. This industrial advantage allows China to mass-produce high-performance Aegis destroyers at a speed akin to "making dumplings," far surpassing other countries.

Currently, the U.S. Navy is facing the challenges of aging warships, declining shipbuilding capacity, and budget constraints. Although the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are numerous, most of them have been in service for a long time, and the replacement rate is slow. China has seized this window of opportunity, expanding its fleet size and upgrading technology, aiming to surpass the U.S. Navy comprehensively by 2030.

Looking ahead, the pace of warship construction by the Chinese Navy will not slow down. The continuous construction of 055 and 052D Aegis destroyers, combined with the development of aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, and nuclear submarines, will enable the Chinese Navy to form a fleet covering the ocean and possessing global deployment capabilities by 2035. At the same time, the U.S. Navy, constrained by budget, industrial capacity, and strategic focus dispersion, will find it difficult to maintain its traditional advantages.

This trend behind it reflects China's pursuit of a world-class navy. From "weak" to "strong," the rise of the Chinese Navy not only changes the strategic balance in the Asia-Pacific region but is also reshaping the global maritime power structure. The U.S. Navy's "pride"—its unparalleled Aegis fleet—is being trampled underfoot by China.



Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7535345931688952374/

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