Type 052B, 052C, and 051C test the route to sea control

The Type 052B brought fleet air defence through a Russian-derived missile fit, while the Type 051C and Type 052C explored competing arrangements in parallel. The Type 051C used Russian S-300 missiles and had a flight deck without a hangar. Type 052Cs paired domestic radar and HHQ-9 missiles with a helicopter hangar. The initial Type 052C pair joined the Type 052Bs in the South Sea Fleet, while Type 051Cs went to the North Sea Fleet. Four follow-on Type 052Cs indicated which design path had been selected. These trials helped the navy move from a surface force supporting submarines and aircraft toward sea control. The Type 052C's off-centre hangar also leaves adjacent enclosed space whose purpose remains uncertain, with stores or further aviation space suggested as possibilities.