Chinese PLA Navy's pioneering destroyer Harbin decommissioned

The guided-missile destroyer Harbin (Hull 112) was decommissioned at a naval port in Qingdao City in east China's Shandong Province on August 28, 2026, after over 30 years of distinguished service. The guided-missile destroyer Harbin (Hull 112), the first of China's second-generation domestically-built guided-missile destroyers and known as the "Number One Ship of China," was decommissioned at a naval port in Qingdao City, east China's Shandong Province, on the morning of August 28, 2026. Equipped with naval guns, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, and other weapon systems, and capable of carrying two helicopters, the destroyer Harbin possesses comprehensive anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. It is a milestone vessel marking a major leap in the combat capabilities of the Chinese PLA Navy's surface vessels. Ship Harbin was launched in August 1991 and commissioned into the Chinese PLA Navy in May 1994. Over the past 30 years, it has completed over 100 major combat readiness tasks and sailed more than 400,000 nautical miles safely. Since its commissioning, the ship has visited 22 ports in 20 countries, including Russia, the United States, and Australia, participated in 17 joint military exercises with foreign navies, and received visits from senior military officials from over 60 countries, showcasing the open and confident image of the Chinese PLA Navy. After decommissioning, this distinguished warship will serve as a national defense education base and will be docked in Changsha City in central China's Hunan Province — the hometown of Xiao Jinguang, the first commander of the Chinese PLA Navy — for public visits and educational activities.