«A number of sources have reported that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy has deployed a Type 055 class destroyer to lead a contingent for operations around the Gulf of Oman and northern Indian Ocean, including a smaller Type 052D class destroyer, and the Liaowang-1 maritime space-tracking and surveillance ship. At a time when the United States and several of its security partners in the Western world are considering launching an attack on Iran»
This is what the online newspaper Military Watch Magazine reported in these hours as well as the Russian website News-Pravda, specialized in military and intelligence news.
These reported deployments have fuelled speculation that the Liaowang-1 and accompanying destroyers may be in the region to monitor the movements of U.S. Navy and other Western warships, allowing intelligence to be passed onto Iran. The importance of Iran to Chinese security interests makes this highly possible. If confirmed, this would have the potential to help deter a Western attack, removing the element of surprise from strikes launched and likely enabling Iranian forces to conduct more effective retaliation if the U.S. proceeds to initiate hostilities.
The Type 055 destroyer also known as the Renhai-class cruiser by NATO reporting name is a class of stealth guided-missile destroyers constructed for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy.
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