No worries. With phase array radar & dozens of HHQ9 missiles, and 16 1-metre-diametre anti ship missile, new PLA destroyer can not do anything without air cover. Aircraft will always beat surface warship by better maneuverability, which means more energy and power, even with old style anti ship missiles.

The advantage of us navy is the whole system of their platforms & weapons, but not the ability of their weapons. In fact harpoon is slow and small, but with better intelligence and command system, it can be more lethal than the much more powerful ss-n-22.

That is what a new navy lack of, no matter indian and Chinese.

But I think Chinese can do better, because the weapons are our own, not just import ss-n-25 form russia.

What if you don’t have aircover? No nearby airbases or no carriers? If the US navy a few years down the road gets seriously cut or even if the US changed path politically and stayed out of the quarrel? The question then would be your ships staying power.

I know it’s not a likely scenario, but consider the US Navy not being involved, it’s a totally different ball game.

there is no such thing as perfect defense US had dozens of patroit batteries thruout kuwait that still didnt stop some dozen are so obsolete SS-N-1 missiles from hiting some targets on kuwait. Also PLAN nor IN or Russian navy (with exception of cruisers) have a vessel with ability to shoot down 2 or more low flying misile with rate greater than 90% as opposed to some western naval DDgs.

actually Luhai i believe was the first plan vessel fitted with 16 missiles probably the decision to do that was influenced by IN fitting 16 urans on delhi its one navy copying the other. I betting taiwan will soon follow that only matter time b4 everyone in asia have vessels fitted with 16 missiles.

its not about how many missiles a vessel carries most western vessel air defense systems can also be used against incoming vessels (SM-2, ESSM) also as israelis demonstrated during yom-kippur war i believe you can win even when ur opponent has more and better missiles than you. Israel navy vessels (most were just fishing trailers modified as missile boats) equipped with gaberial were outgunned and outranged by OSA missile boats but were able to win primarily because they were equipped with crude EW/ECMs that rendered the styx useless i believe more than 20 were launched and not one even came remotely close to hiting a israeli vessel. Also considering how far Electronic warfare systems have progressed, these systems are designed to deal with most salvo attack atleast on paper.

The eastern destroyers can certainly put up a lot of missiles and lead against slow Harpoons. I don’t know how many targets they can engage at on time though..

The Scuds are ballistic missiles, quite a different thing to hit than an anti-ship missile. I don’t remember the speed of these Scuds on target approach, but at least I’ve heard the difficulities of hitting ballistic missiles being compared to trying to hit a bullet with another bullet..

The SAM’s you mention does have a secondary anti-ship capability, but carry very small warheads. Also, they probably need radar gudiance all the way to the target, which means you have to get awfully close unless something else can provide mid course guidiance.

The development of EW/ECM as well as weapons has gone a long way since the Yom Kippur war, just like air-air missiles, the margin of error is much smaller. One mistake and you are going to get hit.