China’s Type 055 vs US Navy Burke Flight III: Which Is Actually the Best Destroyer?

We compare the Chinese PLA Navy's Type 055 destroyer (NATO: Renhai class) against the American Arleigh Burke Flight III destroyer, the most advanced frontline surface combatant in the US Navy. We compare the two classes across a range of naval warfare capabilities, including area air defence, point defence, anti-ship warfare, anti-submarine warfare and stealth performance. We then place their respective strengths and weaknesses in the context of the different naval doctrines of the US and China.