# vertical launch system

China’s New 055 Destroyers Signal Growing Blue‑Water Reach — and New Challenges for Neighbours

China has put two more Type 055 destroyers into service and sent them to the East China Sea for realistic drills, underscoring the class’s heavy missile load, large aviation facilities and role as a blue‑water escort. The ships' 112 VLS tubes, substantial flight deck and modern short‑range defences expand the PLAN’s area‑air‑defence and strike options, with implications for regional naval balances and contingency planning.