The ship uses the hull design of the older Type 051B (Luhai class), but is equipped with the advanced Russian S-300FM air defence missiles systems.

The Luzhou class uses the advanced Russian S-300FM air defence missile system with track-via-missile homing guided by a single Tombstone radar.

The S-300FM missile is guided by the Volna (NATO codename: Tomb Stone) 3D phased-array target tracking radar installed on top of the stern deckhouse.

Since two radars are required to give 360° coverage, this means that there is a blind gap on Type 051C in full SAM cover in the forward quadrant, resulting in a major tactical restriction.

There is also a large round radome mounted at the top of the front mast, housing a Type 364 (SR64) surface search radar.