Chinese destroyer Ningbo

Ningbo (139) is a Type 956EM destroyer of the People's Liberation Army Navy.

History
China
Name	Ningbo (宁波)
Namesake	Ningbo Vnushitelnyy
Builder	Severnaya Verf, Saint Petersburg
Laid down	15 November 2002
Launched	23 July 2004
Commissioned	27 September 2006
Renamed	from Vechnyy (Вечный)
Homeport	Zhoushan
Identification	Pennant number: 139
Status	Active
Badge	See #Emblem
General characteristics
Class & type	Type 956EM destroyer
Displacement	6,600 tons standard, 8,480 tons full load
Length	156 m (511 ft 10 in)
Beam	17.3 m (56 ft 9 in)
Draught	6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	2 shaft steam turbines, 4 boilers, 75,000 kW (100,000 hp), 2 fixed propellers, 2 turbo generators, and 2 diesel generators
Speed	32.7 knots (60.6 km/h; 37.6 mph)
Range	3,920 nmi (7,260 km; 4,510 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) 1,345 nmi (2,491 km; 1,548 mi) at 33 knots (61 km/h; 38 mph)
Complement	350
Sensors & processing systems	Radar: Air target acquisition radar, 3 × navigation radars, 130 mm gun fire-control radars, 30 mm air-defence gun fire control radar Sonar: Active and passive under-keel sonar ES: Tactical situation plotting board, anti-ship missile fire control system, air defence, missile fire-control system, and torpedo fire control system
Electronic warfare & decoys	2 PK-2 decoy dispensers (200 rockets)
Armament	1 AK-130 guns 2 Kashtan CIWS 2 Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-6-30 2 (2 × 4) 3M80E Moskit anti-ship missiles 8 (2 × 4) (SS-N-22 'Sunburn') anti-ship missiles
Aircraft carried	1× Ka-27 series helicopter
Aviation facilities	Helipad

Development and design

Main article: Sovremenny-class destroyer

A project began in the late 1960s when it was becoming obvious to the Soviet Navy that naval guns still had an important role particularly in support of amphibious landings, but existing gun cruisers and destroyers were showing their age. A new design was started, employing a new 130-millimetre (5.1 in) automatic gun turret.

The Type 956EM ships were 156 metres (512 ft) in length, with a beam of 17.3 metres (56 ft 9 in) and a draught of 6.5 metres (21 ft 4 in).

The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy Surface Force (PLAN) had two modified Sovremenny class destroyers delivered in December 1999 and November 2000. In 2002, the PLAN ordered two improved versions designated 956-EM. The first vessel was launched in late 2005, while the second was launched in 2006. All four vessels were commissioned to the East Sea Fleet.

The project cost 600 million US$ (mid-1990s price) for Project 956E (two ships), and 1.4 billion US$ (early-2000s price) for Project 956EM (two ships).^[1][2]

Construction and career

Ningbo was laid down on 15 November 2002 and launched on 23 July 2004 by Severnaya Verf in Saint Petersburg. She was commissioned on 27 September 2006.

On 15 March 2021, Taiyuan, Ningbo and a Type 054A of the East Sea Fleet conducted a live firing exercise.^[3]

On 14 November 2023 Ningbo engaged divers from HMAS Toowoomba by activating her sonar while divers were removing a fishing net that had become entangled in one of the propellers of the Australian ship. Several RAN divers were slightly injured as a result.^[4]

Emblem

The Emblem of Ningbo features the Chinese text "Chinese PLAN ship Ningbo" at the top and has the Russian text "Destroyer Ningbo, PLA Navy" below the Chinese text. At the center of the emblem is the Ningbo, and on its left and right is an anti-ship missile and anti-air missile, respectively. The missiles are shaped similarly to the traditional Chinese polearm Ji.^[5]