A photo circulating on social media service “X” (formerly Twitter) last week serves as an indication that the Chinese Navy (PLAN) is moving ahead with development of a new large naval gun for surface combatants. The photo shows one of PLAN’s Type 910 test and evaluation vessels docked at Liaonan shipyard south of Dalian in Liaoning province.
Type 910 test ships similarly to their Type 909/A-predecessors serve as seagoing evaluation platforms validating basic functions and performance parameters for a variety of naval subsystems. Testing includes large radar housings for phased arrays. One such array is visible on the rear starboard side of the vessel docked at Liaonan.
Appearance in line with recently documented development
The yard at Liaonan rose to some prominence a few years ago. Activities then focused on construction of a new experimental corvette sized combatant which remains based at the yard. Liaonan primarily serves as a maintenance hub for PLAN vessels based with the Northern Theatre Command (NTC). The yard is capable of docking and overhauling all but the largest types of combatants and nuclear powered vessels.
The new image reveals little additional detail. Observable features suggest the turret is a new design. The barrel appears different in configuration to both versions of the existing H/PJ-40 130 mm naval gun. H/PJ-45 is in service onboard PLAN Type 052D and Type 055 guided missile destroyers.
Observers immediately tied the appearance to imagery from 2025. Photos circulating on social media then showed a new large gun with a naval mount transported on a flatbed truck. The photos in question date to April 2025. They notably include a specification plate noting a calibre of 155 mm and a mass of 21,800 kg. Based on its general appearance it appears plausible that the turret onboard the Type 910 vessel houses this previously seen gun.
Reporting back in 2025 also discussed a separate set of images supposedly of a new naval gun, but importantly the pictures in question in fact show an existing H/PJ-45 in the configuration used by Type 055 DDG. The H/PJ-45 is a Chinese adaption of the Russian-sourced AK-130 naval gun. The AK-130 is operational among others on Sovremenny-class DDG, including four Chinese hulls. The Chinese derivative in contrast is a single barrel-design integrated in a redesigned turret that exists in two varieties.
An earlier design is fitted to Type 052D destroyers, operational since 2014. This variant features a more compact, supposedly weight-optimised turret that fits on the 7,500 ton DDG. The Type 055-variant, in service since 2020, is the “full size” turret, which may also integrate a more capable feed mechanism. The 055-design is also recognizable over its lack of a muzzle brake, compared to the “compact” variant.
Recent trends in naval gun modernisation for PLAN
The Chinese Navy has recently made other steps to evolve the gun-based armament of its combatants. Of note here is the emergence of a new variant of the H/PJ-87 100 mm gun on the Type 054B new generation frigate. This gun also found its way onto a further refined new variant of the Type 054A predecessor, usually referred to as Type 054AG.
HP/J-87 originally was an adaption of an originally French-sourced 100 mm weapon featured on various older PLAN combatants including the sole two Type 054 frigates and several types of early 2000s missile destroyers. Earlier versions may have performed inadequately. Subsequently PLAN adopted the smaller calibre 76 mm H/PJ-26, itself based on the Russian AK-176M. This gun is present on the bulk of Type 054A FFG and Type 056 corvettes.
Whether the new large calibre gun observed now aims at replacing the AK-130 derived H/PJ-45 130 mm gun remains speculative. The most immediate application would be a notional Type 052D successor. Additionally, further Type 055 DDG hulls or a possible successor design would also be candidates for deployment.
Assuming reasonably widespread adaption, a 155 mm naval gun system could meet a range of requirements, including proliferation in PLAN of new range-extended “smart” ammunition. Furthermore PLAN does have a significant land-attack requirement in the shape of a notional Taiwan-contingency. A larger calibre naval gun ammunition could benefit cost calculations for sustained fire support scenarios, complementing expensive missile ordnance.
Finally, the appearance of this new design raises further questions over the status of Chinese efforts in railgun-development. A naval railgun design first appeared in imagery in January 2018, showing the turret fitted to the older Type 072-III tank landing ship 936 Hayang Shan. Since then, development appears to have proceeded at measured pace, with the ship putting to sea several times. As of early 2026 the LST is usually berthed at Bohai Shipyard, apparently with the gun still fitted. Similar to comparable efforts abroad, notably in the United States, railgun development is likely going to consume further significant time before an operational weapon appears.
Meanwhile, the emergence of this additional large naval gun may indicate PLAN nevertheless is keen to progress from its Russian technology base for this capability, with additional information hopefully materialising in the near future. Appearance of this weapon may also portend further revelations for new PLAN combatants in the near future.
