China recently introduced to the world Fujian, the new and most modern aircraft carrier owned by its navy. However, while many military analysts believe that this powerful carrier could pose a serious threat to the West, it will not be operational in the next few years. China also has much more dangerous ships in its fleet that are operational and widely used.

The first among them is the destroyer Type 055 which was produced in 2017. This radar invisible destroyer is armed with 13.000 tons of guided missiles, which makes it considered by many to be the most powerful warship in the world.

Type 055 is large enough to be considered a cruiser by NATO standards. It is equipped with 112 vertical launch tubes that can be used to fire everything from anti-ship missiles to long-range surface-to-air missiles, writes CNN.

According to information from March this year, China has so far produced or is in the process of completing a total of 10 such destroyers.

"This ship has a particularly sophisticated design, radars and a large inventory of missiles. "He is bigger and more powerful than most American, Japanese and South Korean destroyers," said military analyst Timothy Heath.

Last week, China's pro-regime daily, the Global Times, publicly advocated and propagated sending Lassi, one of five active destroyers, Type 055, into the Sea of ​​Japan amid growing tensions over Taiwan. The ship reportedly achieved full operational capability and demonstrated its capabilities to "deter possible foreign military interference in the Taiwan Sea at a time when the United States and Japan have repeatedly provoked China over the Taiwan issue."

Submarine type 039

In addition to these destroyers, the fleet has almost silent diesel-powered Juan-class submarines. Beijing has built 17 39A / B submarines, planning to build a total of 25 in the next three years.

These submarines provide an impressive "depth of defense" in the waters near China, are armed with naval missiles, and the powerful method of attack they use is to fire torpedoes over the rear or rear of the submarine.

Commercial ferries

Merchant ferries are certainly not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of deadly naval capabilities, but that's their power.

Namely, with these vessels, if there is a direct conflict with Taiwan, China could easily transport thousands of troops and vehicles to the island.

"China's largest ferry company publicly announced in 2015 that one of its rotating scaffolding was built for dual military and civilian purposes, and one of China's largest ferry operators was similarly described as a dual project: civilian and "said Thomas Sugart, a former U.S. Navy submarine commander and now a fellow at the Center for New American Security.

Maritime police

Ferries are not the only civilian ships that Chinese military strategists have in mind. Experts say China has set up a naval police force consisting of more than XNUMX vessels supposedly engaged in commercial fishing in order to carry out its objectives in the disputed seas.

The Maritime Police, whose existence Beijing denies, reportedly consists of more than 122 vessels, probably as many as 174, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies. However, the real number could have been even higher.

Why are these ships a bigger threat than Fujian?

First, Fujian will not be in office for another three to four years. Even when operational, Fujian's size would make it an easily accessible target, and the sinking of such a ship would do enormous damage to China.

There is a simple fact that, no matter how impressive they may seem, aircraft carriers are not the most suitable for future military scenarios seen by military experts, including possible conflicts in the East and South China Seas, as well as the possible invasion of Taiwan.