China's People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has commissioned the fifth Luyang III-class (Type 052D) destroyer on 22 January during a ceremony at the Guzhenkou naval base. ‘Xining’ is the first Type 052D corvette to be assinged the navy’s North Sea Fleet. Type 052D vessels feature two vertical-launch system (VLS) grids each containing 32 cells, wihch support HHQ-9A long-range surface-to-air missiles. 7 thousand 500 ton-destroyer can accomodate either Harbin Z-9 or Kamov Ka-28 anti-submarine helicopters or Kamov Ka-31 airborne early warning helicopters.